


The Grasp of Iron

by LetsTussleBoiz



Category: League of Legends
Genre: F/M, Fantasy, Magic, Psychological Trauma, Slow Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-24
Updated: 2019-02-16
Packaged: 2019-09-26 14:59:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 24,729
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17143904
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LetsTussleBoiz/pseuds/LetsTussleBoiz
Summary: Sometimes those that do wrong just need a guiding light.Veigar enjoys a still night in the wild jungles of the south.





	1. A Quiet Evening

Over and over, like the swing of a pendulum, the people of Runeterra fought for dominance. Nations rose and fell in rapid succession, all because each ruler saw their vision as the only way to lead the world. Conflicts, both great and small, tore the land apart as powerful magics were weaved into devastating spells by mages who ignored the consequences. Rife with malice and greed, the world was on the precipice of war. Tonight, however, there was quiet. The only sound heard so deep into the evening was the whistling of wind as it blew through lush leafed trees on its never ending quest.

Flowing gracefully through thickly foliaged branches, the wind continued into the deep jungles of the south. Laid out in the warmer climates of the world, the jungle hummed with shades of green and brown. On the horizon, the last rays of golden-orange trickled through the crashing waves of the sea, illuminating the branches of the fertile woods. Animals of all varieties settled in their homes for the night, preparing for the next day.

Veigar let out a deep sigh, slumping against the trunk of a towering mahogany. He snatched the edges of his tattered dark blue cloak with one of his asymmetrical metal gauntlets, pulling it tightly around himself as the wind swept past. The bark was uncomfortably rigid, but it sure as hell beat lying on the ground. Being in a compromising position like that made him feel vulnerable, a cat with its’ belly exposed. He shuddered, reminded briefly of his former weakness. Never again would he allow himself to be so feeble. His gloved hand clenched tightly around his staff, the crystal adorned at the top glinting in the fading light of the evening sun.

A familiar agony lanced through his forehead, eliciting a wince from Veigar. Putting his hand to his temple, he tried to think of more pleasing thoughts. He pulled his gauntlet off, observing the fingers underneath. The once smooth skin was withered and dingy from a lack of sunlight and care. Frowning, he stalked over to the nearby creek, dunking his hand in the water. Inhaling sharply at the bite of the cold, Veigar drew his hand back. Breathing hot air onto his exposed palm, he attempted to warm his frigid fingertips.

Across the small stream, Veigar heard the hooting of an unknown creature. Peering into the darkness, he made out the faint outline of an upright animal staring back at him. He smiled to himself, recalling the terrified faces of the foolish humans from earlier. Their screams were sonorous, a comfort in otherwise stressful times. The way they had approached him, swords drawn and sinister smiles creeping onto their faces despite being clearly outmatched was amusing to Veigar.

One of the humans, a young man with short hair and a freckled face, had drawn a short bow and aimed it at Veigar, eyes glinting with malice.

"This don't haff ta end nasty for ya, lil man. Surrender yer belongings to us and we'll let ya go wiff only MINA injuries." The man had let out a chuckle at his own joke. Veigar understood a threat better than any other member of his species, being quite the expert himself. He simply raised his free hand to the sky, his eyes igniting with a crackling yellow energy.

A few of the humans stopped short, nervously eyeing up the strange yordle before continuing their approach. Veigar smiled with interest at the boldness of these humans and began pulling energy from the stars above. His large gauntlet crackled as the magic ignited within him, invigorated with tremendous strength.

"Allow me to show you true terror!" Veigar shouted, his eyes narrowing. An orb of purple energy formed in his hand, sparking with tremendous power. This was probably overkill for such weak mortals, but he had felt an innate desire to "flex" so to speak.

A few of the humans shouted in alarm, one of them letting loose an arrow at Veigar. It bounced harmlessly off his invisible barrier, eliciting naught but a grin from the malevolent warlock. Veigar smashed the butt of his staff into the dirt, and the malevolent energy gathering in his palm shot upwards, disappearing into the night sky. The humans stared in confusion for a moment, before laughing in relief.

"Looks like ya missed lil buddy. Yer gonna regret that." The closest bandit drew back his sword, readying a swing that would surely be unpleasant to receive.

Like thunder, Veigar's spell came crashing down from the clouds above, smashing into the throng of humans. Several of them were vaporized instantly under the tremendous power as it struck them directly, screaming as the ray disintegrated them. A few were thrown into the trees, smacking against the trunks with a sickening crunch and slumping to the floor, lifeless.

The human directly in front of Veigar was blasted forward directly into Veigar’s outstretched gauntlet. Gripping the man’s throat tightly, Veigar knocked the sword out of his trembling hand with a flick of his staff. Shoving the brigand’s face into the dirt, Veigar ground the razor sharp tip of his staff into the human's shoulder joint.

The quivering fool let out a howl of pain, reaching for the dagger at his side. Before he could draw the weapon, Veigar let out a pulse of dark energy from his glove wrapped around his neck. The energy flowed into the human's throat, which began to emit a bright purple glow. The human's eyes popped out of his head in agony as he tried to let out a scream, clawing at the glove wrapped around his scruff. His pathetic cries for help were quickly silenced as his head exploded, splattering against Veigar's energy barrier. Veigar grimaced, tossing the body aside and wiping the goo off his robes.

He turned to the remaining adversaries, only to watch as they ran, screaming, into the forest. Smirking, Veigar snapped his finger, drawing on his sizable power. Appearing around his staff were six orbs of glinting black energy, floating in a lazy orbit around the gem. With a wave of his scepter, the orbs sped after the remaining humans with frightening velocity and precision, following them into the deep foliage. After a brief pause, Veigar heard the screams as his magic made contact with flesh. His work completed, Veigar tossed his cape dramatically and continued his trek into the wilds.

Returning to the present, his grin widened as he reminisced on their screams as they begged for mercy. Being in a position of power was what Veigar deserved, and he always enjoyed putting fools in their place. A fierce rumbling in his stomach cut through his inner monologue like a knife, reminding him of his mortal weaknesses..

Frowning, Veigar pushed himself to his feet. He cracked his neck, considering his options for dinner. Out of the corner of his eye, he spied the creek he had washed his hands in.

 **“** I suppose it shall be fish again,” he groaned, already sick of the saltwater taste. The other creatures of the forest gave him a wide berth, and he had long since forgotten the harvesting techniques of his kind. Dark magic had changed him, sharpened his teeth and ignited a deep craving for meat.

He certainly could hunt for animals in the underbrush, but he had yet to discover a way to quell the aura of magic he emitted. It made hunting nearly impossible, especially in areas of the world where the wild life was deeply attuned to magic, such as here.

Twirling his staff, he pulled on his powerful magics, raising a strange purple field from the aether, cordoning off a section of the stream. The structure was an intimidating size and shape, impressive dark arches rising from the ground like a claw, linked together by a glittering purple magic. Seemingly stuck in time were a cluster of red-scaled fish, eyes wide and mouths agape as they sat still inside the purple twinkling of the field. He reached down and plucked several from the river, spearing them with the tip of his scepter and dropping them into a basket he had procured from the humans earlier. Satisfied with his catch, he released his Event Horizon, allowing the fish to continue their swim in peace.

As he approached his campsite, his fingertips surged with magic, igniting his previously extinguished fire. It roared to life and illuminated his small campsite, shadows forming through the boughs. Slashing one of the branches free of the trees above, he roasted the stick and threaded it through the fish, holding them aloft over the fire. The crackling embers of the fire drowned out the buzzing of insects as his fish roasted, oil from their skin occasionally dripping into the flames, causing it to flare slightly. Light from the campfire reflected on Veigar’s shadowy disguise, nearly being consumed by its’ darkness. Watching this repetition intently as he waited for his meal, Veigar relaxed ever so slightly.

 

...

 

An arrow whizzed past his face, barely nicking his cheek. The point embedded in the tree trunk behind him, quivering from the impact. He fell backwards with a start and grasped his staff, summoning his Event Horizon in front of him defensively. Exiting a bush at the edge of the clearing was one of the humans from earlier, his left arm bleeding profusely. In his right hand he held aloft a small crossbow, another arrow already strung, aimed directly at Veigar. His eyes were ablaze with fear, his jaw slack from pain. He let loose the other arrow. Veigar cursed his incompetence and raised an arm to defend himself.

His perspective of his surroundings suddenly warped. The entire world seemed to shift, and he found himself extremely close to the ground, even by yordle standards. Everything around him seemed to have grown, the already enormous trees sprouting to tremendous heights. His Event Horizon dispersed in front of him, the magic fizzling. Veigar looked up to see the human towering over him like a skyscraper, staring down with malice. The human raised up his boot, seemingly confused, then brought it crashing downwards. Veigar tensed, ready to leap out of the way.

To his shock, Veigar watched as the human vanished in a puff of smoke. Sitting directly in front of him was a small twin-tailed squirrel with purple fur. Veigar opened his mouth to voice his surprise, but the only sound that escaped his throat was a faint squeak. Veigar hurriedly glanced at his own form, trying to process what was happening. With terror, he realized he was also a squirrel.

Panicking, he reached for the tremendous power he relied upon to vanquish his many enemies. Nothing. Fear rising, he started breathing quickly, sucking in air with sharp breaths. This powerlessness, he hadn’t felt anything similar since his imprisonment by the Iron Revenant, a feared conqueror from ancient times. Veigar closed his eyes, waiting for his demise at the hands of this unseen foe.

No killing blow came. Slowly opening his eyes, he found the world returned to its normal proportions. Whatever spell had been cast on him was dispersed. Instinctively he reached for his magic, sighing in relief as he felt its’ embrace around him. At his feet was the human, still morphed into a squirrel.

Veigar glared down at it in anger and raised his staff to smash it. The small animal squeaked in terror and scampered off into the forest, fleeing the campsite.

“Goodbye cute squirrel!” a voice called from the trees above. Veigar whirled, shooting a volley of twisting nether into the branches. The bark was scorched as his powerful magic whizzed off into the night, exploding in the sky above. Several bundles of leaves ignited from the fury of his attack, illuminating the boughs above. Cursing his poor aim, Veigar scanned the trees above, searching for the origin of the voice.

Highlighted by the burning tree limbs was a small girl with an enormous hat, rivaling Veigar’s in size. In her hands was a gnarled oaken staff, and fluttering over her shoulder was a winged purple creature, which Veigar surmised to be a Fey, or fairy. She was clothed in a red dress and black stockings, her sleeves hanging low around her wrists. Barely over three feet tall, the girl grinned and dropped from her perch. Landing with a clumsy thump in a prickly bush next to Veigar, she let out a gasp of surprise.

“Whoopsie daisy! I took a bit of a tumble there,” The girl said, laughing. She stood up and brushed herself off, her cap nearly falling from her head. Glancing at Veigar, she was startled to see his staff pointed directly at her, malevolent branches of energy sparking along it’s point.

“You shall pay for what you did to me, witch!” he shouted, glaring at the newcomer with his glowing yellow eyes.

Veigar was used to strange reactions to his appearance. His stature was often mistaken for “cute” by foolish humans who saw him first and foremost as a harmless yordle. The rarity of his kind so far outside Bandle City was always the first thing people saw in Veigar. They often came to regret such disrespect. Other times they would underestimate him, trying to take advantage of his diminutive size, like the human brigands from earlier. Occasionally, they understood his true power from the start, and fled in fear from him before he could bestow his wrath upon them.

This time, however, he was taken aback. The girl pushed his staff aside and leaned in close, inhaling deeply. Veigar let out a curse and stumbled backwards frantically, pushing the girl away.

She smiled and said “That tasted very purple! You’re delicious, did you know that?” Veigar stared at her in confusion. This girl was clearly insane, even more so than he was! Before he could respond, the winged creature that was floating behind her flited over and landed on his head, pulling at his hat playfully.

“Fool! You dare to mock ME?” Reaching for the fairy, Veigar was a little too slow to stop it. No longer covered by his hat, his ears unfurl to their full length, twitching from weeks of containment. The girl gasped, stepping closer.

“You’re a yordle?” she said, excitement etching her voice. Veigar’s eyes widened and he brought a hand to his face. The normal mask of shadows he used to hide his appearance was gone, most likely dispelled along with his Event Horizon from earlier.

“I am no mere yordle! I am Veigar, Master of Evil! I control the very stars around you! The world bends to my every whim!” Veigar was a bit chuffed to have his annoyingly cute form exposed by this newcomer. She giggled at his threat and started hopping in circles around him, eyeing him up and down quizzically.

“Where did you come from? How did you learn magic? Do you really think that hat is intimidating? How long have you had that scar?” Her excitement was so palpable, Veigar was nearly suffocated by it.

Groaning with frustration, Veigar raised his staff, summoning his powerful prison to contain her… strangeness. She stepped backwards with surprising agility, observing the field with interest as it conjured. Veigar narrowed his eyes, his gauntlet clenching his staff tightly. Taking a moment to compose himself, he jumped up and snatched his hat from the fairy floating above him, placing it back where it belonged.

“What do you want with me, Witch?” Having nearly met his end at the hands of a measly human, Veigar was on edge. However, the girl’s strange magic and abnormal behavior intrigued Veigar enough to stay his hand.

She skipped around his barrier and trotted right up to him, clearly unafraid. Veigar inwardly cursed himself for allowing this to happen, but begrudgingly relaxed his stance. Sliding his staff into the holster on his back, he folded his arms and glared at the girl.

Now that she was no longer assaulting his personal space, he took the time to observe her. With a shock, he realized that she was a yordle as well. Her fluffy ears were a dead giveaway, sticking straight out of her hat. Veigar glanced at her staff, the oaken stick clearly emanating Fae magic in waves.

She smiled, relieved that he was no longer attempting to kill her, and wiggled in place.

“I haven’t been around for a REALLY REALLY REALLY long time! I’ve been wandering around, trying to make lots of new friends. No one will give me the chance though…” Veigar detected a hint of sadness in the last statement and frowned. He didn’t appreciate the memories she was stirring up, ones far older than this morning.

“I am the master of all that is evil. I have no time for friends, Witch.” He spat the last word with venom, still on edge from his strange transformation earlier. The girl stepped back, clearly hurt by his remark. In the corners of her eyes, Veigar spotted tears forming. She quickly rubbed them away with her long sleeve.

“I will grant you one chance,” Veigar said, “due to your… assistance with the human. What gave you the right to defile me with such magic?” The girl looked taken aback, then raised her free hand. Her palm sparkled with a purple glow, a flower sprouting from it. She set it down on the floor in front of them, then aimed her staff at it.

“Whimsify!” A bolt of pink and green energy rushed from her staff, striking the flower. In a puff of smoke, the flower was gone, replaced by a small rock. The girl looked up at him and smiled.

“It’s fairy magic!” She said, positively beaming. “I’m from the Glade, and I haven’t been around for a… long time! My name is Lulu by the way!”

The Glade? Veigar had heard mentions of the mythical homeland of the Fae. Like Bandle City, it was nigh impossible to find unless it WANTED you to find it. If she was truly from the Glade…

Dismissing the idle thought, Veigar addressed her. “NEVER cast that on me ever again. Your assistance was ultimately unnecessary, and all it did was make me incredibly uncomfortable.”

Lulu frowned, disappointed, but nodded. Veigar glanced around his campsite, a bit disheveled after the attack. Spying his pack next to the tree, he stalked over to it and reached inside. Lulu watched from where she was standing, attempting to see what Veigar was looking for.

Veigar returned a moment later with a coin in hand. He shoved it into her hand roughly, then turned his back on her.

“I refuse to be indebted to anyone. Even though I never required your help, you still provided it. The Master of Evil always pays his dues.” Lulu stared at the coin in her hand with wonder. It was an acceptance token, indicating that whomever held this token was a champion of the soon to be formed League of Legends. Acquiring a token was quite difficult, as the League was conducting much of their plans in secrecy. Very few knew of what their plans were, just that these coins were incredibly valuable.

Shocked, Lulu grabbed Veigar by his cloak as he stalked away. ““Veigar, this is… why are you giving me this?" The evil yordle let out a sinister laugh and held up a coin of his own.

“I may have owed you a debt for what you did, but I also won’t forgive what you did to me. We will meet again, and when we do, I will pay you back a thousand-fold for your-”

Veigar was cut off as Lulu hugged him, tears streaming down her face.

“Oh thank you thank you thank you!! I had nowhere to go after… after I left home. I was really hoping to get my hands on one of them, but I couldn’t find one! How did you manage to get so many?”

Flexing his gauntlet, Veigar summoned his dark magic into his palm. Lulu stared at it in wonder as he turned on his heels, allowing the energy to soar forwards into one of the trees. In an explosion of purple, the tree was gone, the splintered stump smoldering from the blast.

“When you want something, you must TAKE IT. I just happened to take a few extra during my… quest. Now! Unless you would like me to swallow your soul, leave this instant!”

Lulu opened her mouth, only to close it again, unsure of what to say. She glanced at her fairy, Pix, who shrugged and flitted over to her, peering over her ear at Veigar. Frowning, Lulu turned and walked away into the underbrush.

Veigar watched the girl leave, his face expressionless. As her form vanished into the shadows of the jungle, he slumped to the ground, leaning his head against the tree once more. Truly, today had been full of surprises. He smirked as he pulled out his own coin, twirling it between his gloved fingers. The moonlight caught the edge, illuminating the design molded in the center: A golden circle, with a large L adorning the center, overlapping a background of blue.

Glancing down at her own coin, Lulu smiled to herself and held it against her chest. Her first gift since leaving the Glade! And from a yordle at that! She had been worried she would never reconnect with her kind. Now, she had hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all! Aurora here~ I'm in the process of refining and editing the first three chapters. After I finish that, I'll be releasing an interim chapter, 3.5, that I feel bridges the sudden leap in relationship Veigar and Lulu take. After that, I'll be releasing Chapter 6! Love y'all :3


	2. Everything Changes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lulu runs into someone she wished she hadn't.
> 
> Veigar gets hot and bothered.
> 
> The world begins to change.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey y'all! I apologize in advance for this chapter, because it's PRETTY LONG. I totally didn't intend for that at first, it just sorta... got away from me. A lot of the info at the end is basically pure exposition, so if you'd rather just skip it and get on with the VeigarLulu fluff, by all means, do so. Next chapter should be out tomorrow! I'm hoping to do quite a bit of drafting once I hit the next chapter, because we'll really be getting into the meat of things. Thank you so so much for reading my fic! ~Aurora
> 
> Edit: I've now updated Chapter 2! Just some grammar stuff here and there, things to improve the flow, etc.

“ N-no. I’m not really interested in buying a… Hextech Gunblade? Thank you for the offer though! ” The shady man frowned at Lulu, clearly disappointed.

“A young sorceress such as yourself would surely benefit from such a purchase! Think of all the damage you could do with this thing!” The man boasted, holding aloft his crazed invention. Lulu winced at the sight of the jagged device. It was hideous!

“ I’m um… more of a healing type. ” She smiled apologetically, before brushing past him and making a hasty retreat into the alleyways of Zaun.

The man watched her go, shouting after her. “JUST YOU WAIT! THIS IS GONNA BE HUGE! THE NEXT BIG THING!”

Hurrying down the twists and turns of the strange Zaun infrastructure, Lulu quickly put distance between herself and the strange salesman. The citystate of Zaun seemed to be full of truly weird and frightening people, so different from Bandle City. She couldn’t even begin to understand how anyone could live here, much less a yordle.

She sighed inwardly, praying to the Fae that she wouldn’t run into HIM during her trip through the warring city states. Rounding a corner, she was so lost in thought that she ran straight into someone, falling flat on her butt. As the other person was knocked over, the box they were holding clattered to the ground. Rubbing her head where she’d collided, she looked up to see who she’d bumped in to.

“I’m  so sorry! I was really distracted thinking of purple and- ” Her heart sank when she saw who it was. The small yordle was in the middle of picking himself off the ground, his goggles obscuring his eyes and frankly most of his face, but Lulu recognized him instantly. Ziggs coughed, black smoke blowing from his nose as he cleared his throat. Looking around, he spotted Lulu, and his face lit up in an enormous grin.

“Lulu! So nice to run into ya here! I was actually JUST thinking about the last time we met!” Lulu frowned at the coincidental fact that she, too, was thinking of that exact moment. She pushed herself to her feet and dusted off her skirt, glaring daggers at Ziggs.

“ What  _ I  _ remember was that you burned down an entire section of the forest in an attempt to show me “purple fireworks”, and they weren’t even purple! ” Lulu huffed angrily at him, stamping her foot as she recalled his wanton devastation of nature. Ziggs’ grin faltered slightly and he scratched the back of his head.

“Look Lulu, mistakes happen! It’s what hexscience is all about. I didn’t mean nothin by it, and I’ve apologized like ten times! But hey, I’ve got somethin I wanna show ya!” Rummaging through his fallen crate he was carrying, he pulled out a long, purple stick of dynamite and tossed it in the air and catching it again.

(art by the wonderful purple-lulu. You can find her on [Tumblr](https://purple-lulu.tumblr.com/), go support her amazing art!)

Lulu frowned at it, suspicious of Ziggs and his explosives. “ What is it? Another forest destroyer? ”

Ziggs shook his head and grinned even wider. “I like to think of it as my masterpiece! It explodes everything that  _ isn’t  _ a plant, and causes no fires! Isn’t that GREAT?” He put his hands on his hips, clearly proud of himself.

Lulu opened her mouth to retort, but was interrupted by the sound of metal scraping on metal. Turning around, she stepped back in shock as a monstrosity of metal and flesh lumbered towards them slowly, scraping metallic claws along the wall as it stalked ever closer.

The creature moaned in agony, blood oozing from various holes in its’ side. It looked as if it had just burst through a large window, with long scratches stretching across its back and sides. The abomination approached the duo with staggered steps, skin sloughing off the various limbs protruding from its large torso. Ziggs instantly stowed the purple dynamite in the crate at his feet and reached into the pouches at his side, pulling out already lit hexbombs.

Lulu put her hands on Ziggs’ shoulder, eyeing the creature with curiosity. “ Wait! Don’t hurt him Ziggs! Let me try talking to it. ” Ziggs glanced at Lulu in shock as she slowly approached the beast.

“Lulu! What are you-” Lulu ignored him, stepping towards the beast one foot at a time, carefully observing him. The creature tilted its head as it observed Lulu approaching it. It let out a strange squeak, its ears (or what Lulu assumed were its ears) perked as it watched her intently.

Coming to a stop directly in front of the beast, Lulu slowly extended a hand to touch the creature. Closing her eyes, her hand began emitting a purple hue. Pix floated above Lulu nervously, darting back and forth behind her as they watched Lulu work.

Ziggs stared in disbelief as the creature seemed to relax its entire body. The moans of pain withered and died in its throat, replaced by a strange humming noise. Lulu opened her eyes and took a step backward, removing her hand from the creature.

In response to Lulu’s touch leaving it, the creature shivered violently. It leaned its head in close to Lulu, eyeing her up and down. Lulu smiled at the creature, then turned to look back at Ziggs. “ See? There is always a peaceful solution! You don’t always have to resort to blowing- ”

She was promptly interrupted as the creature behind her let out a terrifying roar. Lulu whipped around just in time to see one of the creatures many limbs swing into her. Slamming into her stomach, it instantly knocked the wind out of her, sending her flying backwards. Ziggs let out a cry of anger, throwing a bomb at the creature’s face. The entire alleyway shook as Ziggs’ bomb collided with the creature, throwing up an enormous dust cloud.

Ziggs dashed over to Lulu, praying behind hope that she was okay. That strike could have killed a grown man! How could Lulu possibly have survived? To his shock, when he arrived at her side, her breathing was steady. Shaking her awake, she let out a choked gasp, sitting up with a start.

Her hand immediately went to where the beast struck her, but to both her and Ziggs’ astonishment, there wasn’t even a bruise. Before they could investigate the mystery any further, their attention was diverted by another roar. The creature pushed its way out of the dust cloud and charged in their direction, claws outstretched, eyes wide with bloodlust.

Ziggs cursed and reached for his belt, trying to ignite one of his hexbombs. The creature cleared the distance with frightening speed, swinging one of its enormous arms down towards the two yordles.

Suddenly, an enormous rocket blasted from one of the alleyways, launching the beast through the wall. The two yordles stared in shock as the speeding missile pushed the creature up and out of the city, where it exploded in a shower of sparks.

“How’d ya like THAT one Ziggs?” A shrill voice called from the alleyway, pulling Lulu’s attention away from the lightshow above. “I took some inspiration from yer bombs for my Mega Death Rocket!” Lulu spotted a thin woman standing in the alleyway, silhouetted by the streetlights behind her. Her slender frame was accentuated by quite the strange getup, and she was shouldering a rocket launcher with a shark's face on the front. Her neon teal hair was tied back in twin ponytails, her eyes alight with sinister glee.

“Jinx! Boy am I glad to see you.” Ziggs said, walking over to her. Lulu pushed herself back to her feet.

_ This is the second time I’ve been knocked flat in this city!  _ she thought to herself, snatching her staff from where it had fallen. Pix worridely pushed up her shirt, also inspecting what should have been a particularly nasty wound. He let out a confused hum as he observed her body.

Lulu smiled at Jinx and walked up to her, sticking out a hand in greeting and donning a friendly  smile. “ Thanks for the save crazy lady! I’m Lulu, the Fae Sorceress. It’s a pleasure to meet you! ”

Jinx frowned down at her and put her hands on her hips. “Who ya callin crazy, shortstuff? Ziggs is this yer girlfriend or somethin?”

“ No! Definitely not. ” Lulu said quickly, blushing slightly. Ziggs’ ears lowered in disappointment, but he nodded in agreement.

“Yea she’s just a friend Jinx.” He said, clearly disappointed. “I met her a few weeks ago when she was venturing south.”

Jinx smirked and crouched down to look Lulu in the eyes. “Well girly, this ain’t the place for someone like you!” Lulu nodded rapidly. She didn’t enjoy the perpetual darkness that seemed to hang over the streets of the malicious tech city. The enormous buildings seemed to lean in above her, blocking out the sun. A nature oriented girl such as herself could never be happy in a place like this. She was honestly unsure of how Ziggs could bear living here, seeing as how he was a yordle just like her.

“ Would you be willing to help me out of the city? ” Lulu asked, still a little on edge from their encounter. Jinx grinned and cocked her rocket launcher attached to her shoulder.

“You betchur lil butt I can getcha outta here lickity split! It’ll cost ya tho.” Jinx said, and held out her free hand. Lulu frowned, not sure what to do.

“ I’m sorry Jinx, I don’t really have any money. All I have is this coin, and I can’t give it up. ” Lulu held out her gift from Veigar, the League coin she had received yesterday. Ziggs gaped at the coin in her hand, then pulled out one himself.

“You got a coin, Lulu? How??? I never would have thought you’d have done something like  _ that _ to a person.” Ziggs seemed apprehensive to explain just what  _ that _ was. Lulu frowned, confused.

“What do you mean, Ziggs? I got it as a gift. A weird yordle in the jungle gave it to me, as a reward for saving his life!” Ziggs frowned at that and looked to Jinx for advice. Jinx shrugged, unsure of how to break the news to Lulu.

Ziggs put his hand on Lulu’s shoulder, seeming somber. “Lulu… to get one of these coins, you have to be chosen by the League, like Jinx or I. The only other way to get one is to… take it.”

Lulu tilted her head, even more confused than she was at first. “ What are you saying? I never took anything, and I’m sure Veigar wouldn’t have done that either! He seemed nice to me. ”

Ziggs spluttered and stumbled backwards, almost falling over. “V-VEIGAR? You got the coin from VEIGAR?” Jinx stared wide eyed at Lulu. For a split second, Lulu was convinced she saw a slight twinge of suspicion in her eyes.

“ Well, yea! He was in the woods when I was on my way back. Why, what’s wrong with that? ” Ziggs plopped to a sitting position on the ground, holding his forehead in confusion.

“Veigar is the first of our kind to go truly bad, Lulu.” Ziggs said, brow creased with worry. “He’s been around for CENTURIES, and he’s done unspeakable things. If he gave you that coin, he gave it to you for a  _ reason _ . One that is most likely sinister in nature.”

Lulu worriedly observed the coin, then looked at Jinx and Ziggs. “ Do you think I should get rid of it, then? ”

Ziggs grimaced. “ Try throwing it away, Lulu. ” Lulu stared at the coin, then reluctantly threw the coin as hard as she could down the alleyway. She watched as it rolled to a stop right outside a storm drain. A stream of water trickled down a storm pipe, washing the coin down the hole. Lulu gasped, running over to try and retrieve it. “ My coin! ”

Ziggs walked over to her and put a hand on her shoulder. “Check your pocket, Lulu.” With shock, as Lulu stuck her hand in her pocket, she found that the coin was still inside. Pulling it out, she stared at it in wonder.

“The coin is bound to you now, Lulu. There’s no way anyone can take it from you, and you can’t lose it. It also provides some measure of protection, which explains how you were able to take that strike from earlier.” Reflexively, Lulu touched her side where she’d been struck. _Well that explains one mystery_ she thought.

“ But wait,” She exclaimed,” How did Veigar manage to give me one if they’re bound to the user? ”

Ziggs shrugged his shoulders, unsure. “He probably had one of his own. You can only bind to one at a time. The bond is for life, too. So long as you draw breath, the coin will be with you.” Lulu frowned, the gears in her head turning.

“ Does that mean…? ” Ziggs nodded grimly. Lulu reeled from the realization that the first person she’d found that was nice to her (besides Ziggs) was a murderer.

Jinx laughed and shook her head. “Lulu how can you be surprised by this? The world is crazy right now!”

“ I just got here! I don’t know WHAT is happening! ” Lulu huffed angrily. Jinx stared at her in confusion, before dismissing it with a shrug. “Well, whatever. Seein as how you’re a fellow League champ like yours truly, I’d be more than willin ta help you out. Just this once! I aint no taxi service, ya hear?”

Lulu stared at Jinx with visible confusion. “ Tack-see? ” Jinx laughed and grabbed the Yordle by the collar of her dress. “Alley-oop! Hold on tight missy! You’re in for a wild ride!” Seemingly out of nowhere, Jinx pulled out an enormous rocket. A crude painting of a shark shone proudly on the front.  _ This girl is almost as crazy about sharks as I am about purple!  _ Lulu thought, examining the front of the rocket.

Jinx bent over and picked Lulu up by the scruff of her jacket. She set Lulu on top of the rocket, jumping up behind her. Lulu stared wild eyed at Jinx, then looked at Ziggs. “ IS THIS EVEN SAFE? ”

Ziggs shrugged and said “I dunno! I’ve never been dumb enough to ride with Jinx on one of those. Good luck Lulu!”

Lulu opened her mouth to reply, but her voice was instantly drowned out as the rocket roared to life, blasting them off up, up, and out of the city. Lulu screamed as they raced into the sky, only to have it die in her throat as she beheld the land of Runeterra from the sky above.

Her heart stopped as she beheld the ruined landscape laid out before her. In the distance, large plumes of malevolent energy, so large that she could see them even from so far away, roared in the distance. Large violet cracks ran along various parts of the land, emitting a menacing glow.

_ So this was the reason Pix wanted to leave the Glade. The world… it’s… dying. _

* * *

 

Veigar stalked out of the last few trees bordering the Shurima desert. The temperature had steadily been rising as he neared the barren landscape, and he had long since abandoned his cloak, evaporating it into the aether. Wiping his brow with a free hand, Veigar surveyed the dunes rising before him.

Groaning inwardly at what was sure to be a miserable trek through miles of sand, Veigar made his way west. It was about midday when he started through the sandy hills of Shurima. The sun blazed overhead, as if in spite to Veigar’s plight. No longer able to bear the immense heat, Veigar waved his staff and called upon his magic. Immediately he began to cool, the hot rays of the sun no longer bothering him. Dark energies swirled around his entire being, enveloping him in an unnatural cold.

The rest of the journey was simple enough, now that the heat was no longer a nuisance. As night fell, Veigar arrived at a small village amongst a series of ancient ruins. Due to most people’s reaction to his appearance, he resigned to a fate of sleeping outside. However, sooner or later he’d have to confront some of the townsfolk for water and food. He’d only brought enough supplies with him for a short journey, and wasn’t prepared for a long voyage into the sands.

_ If not now, then when?  _ he thought bitterly. _ I may as well see if I can snag a quick drink and some food in the inn before spending the night in a barn or something _ . Pushing open the double doors of the inn, he was startled to find it rather full. A large crowd of scavengers and desertfolk were bunched around something he couldn’t quite see, cheering loudly.

_ All the better for my needs. Let the rabble distract themselves with silly games.  _ He stalked over to the bartender, who was also enjoying the show from behind his counter. Veigar cleared his throat loudly and the broad shouldered man looked down, smiling.

“Well hello there little one. Are you here for your friends?” the barkeep asked. Veigar balked at the blatant disrespect. Did he not recognize who he was? With a start, he remembered he was no longer wearing his signature cloak. The only piece of his outfit that remained was his hat, which was quite dusty due to his day in the dunes. He had hidden his staff in the aether, but he didn’t even think to readorn his cloak. The shroud of shadows he wore obscured his features, but without his gauntlets and robe, he was nigh unrecognizable.

Veigar sighed.  _ All the better, honestly. _ If the bartender didn’t know who he was, he might get better service. “No, I’m afraid I have no friends around these parts. I’m here for water and a meal. I have a long journey ahead.”

The bartender looked at him with surprise. “Someone as small as you is making a journey through the desert? Must be pretty important! Sorry for assuming the yordles over there were your friends. Suppose that’s racist to think.”

Veigar’s eyes widened at the mention of his kind. Turning around, he pushed his way through the crowd, controlling his temper as he was jostled about by the cheering men and women. His heart leapt to his throat when he spotted them.

Sitting across from each other, locked in an intense arm wrestling match, were the yordles Tristana and Poppy. The former, a short silver haired girl with lilac fur and yellow eyes, sat rigidly in her seat. Sweat formed on Tristana’s brow as she tried desperately to gain clearance. Poppy smirked, her twin pigtails wiggling behind her as she laughed. Quite tall for a yordle, Poppy leaned in against Tristana’s grip, smirking triumphantly.

Veigar groaned inwardly. His nemesis, Teemo, was nowhere to be found. However, the female gunner was almost as bad, being Teemo’s mate. Poppy was even WORSE, constantly spouting out “valuable advice” and lecturing about “morality”.

Poppy laughed at Tristana, her arm flexing slightly as the gunner struggled to budge her steel-like grip. “What’s the matter, Trist?” Poppy asked confidently, “Don’t have it in you?”

Tristana grimaced, leaning heavily into Poppy’s arm in a vain attempt to move the blacksmith. “It’s not exactly a fair matchup, Poppy! You and that damn hammer of yours have been inseparable for ages, it’s a wonder you haven’t broken my arm!”

As if on queue, Poppy grinned and smashed Tristana’s hand into the table. Tristana let out a yelp and stuck her hand in her mouth, attempting to nurse her wound. What hurt more, undoubtedly, was her pride.

“I win again Trist! You know the drill.” Poppy was smiling from ear to ear, clearly very excited. Tristana groaned, popping her hand out of her mouth and pushing herself to her feet. She climbed on the table and looked at everyone in the bar.

“I would just like everyone to know that Poppy is the strongest, bravest yordle I’ve ever met, and she could really use a nice drink.” Poppy roared with laughter as Tristana squirmed with each word. A bet, no doubt. Veigar snorted with derision. How the gunner yordle ever thought she would beat the blacksmith was beyond him. He turned to leave, then heard Poppy’s voice.

“Hey Trist, is that another yordle? Did you bring one of your gunners with you?” Tristana turned and looked at where Poppy was pointing, spotting Veigar as he attempted to slip through the crowd. Veigar cursed his poor fortune under his breath, hastening his pace.

“No, Poppy, I did not. Hey! You there! Wait up a sec!” Tristana leaped off the table, gaining quite the height with her jump. She landed gracefully only a few feet behind Veigar. The crowd parted, interested to see what was happening. Veigar slowed to a stop, turning slightly.

“Is there something you require from me?” Veigar may have been able to fool the barkeep, but there was no point in lying to another yordle about his identity. They would have recognized him anywhere.

Tristana gasped and quickly drew her large cannon, aiming it at him. “Veigar! What the hell are YOU doing here, you traitor?” Poppy pushed back from the table, grabbing the hammer sitting next to her and sprinted to Tristana’s side. She glowered at Veigar, readying her mighty weapon.

“You have to the count of three,” Tristana exclaimed, “to explain yourself before we attack. One… two…” Poppy clenched her fist around her hammer, a bead of sweat dripping down her forehead. Veigar turned towards the two yordles and smiled devilishly.

“Fortunately for you, I have no business with two pathetic mortals such as yourselves. I have much more important matters to attend to. Now unless you would like me to kill everyone in this bar as well as yourselves, I suggest you lower your weapons and treat me with the proper respect!” Tristana and Poppy shared a look before begrudgingly lowering their weapons. They still stood at the ready, ready to attack if the need arose.

“What would the  _ Master of Evil _ want with a small town in Shurima?” Poppy said, nearly spitting when she said his title. Tristana glared at him with open malice but said nothing, seemingly content with letting Poppy do the talking.

Veigar spread his hands in a gesture of peace. “Not a thing! I simply desire something of great power that is hidden within the dunes. I tell you this only because I know you have no chance of stopping me from acquiring what I desire.”

“Wanna bet?” Tristana said, loading a buster shot in her cannon. “Make my day, Veigar. I’m sure Teemo would appreciate the good news once I get back.”

Veigar eyed the moon outside. It was reaching its zenith, which was all too convenient for him. A few more moments and it would be midnight, and he would be able to unleash the full power of the cosmos on these fools. Distracting them for that long would be a simple task.

“Ah, and how IS the boyscout? Still pretending to be big and strong, like he knows what is right for our fair nation?” Saying “our nation” was a bitter taste in Veigar’s mouth, but he knew Tristana wouldn’t be able to resist rising to the bait.

“It’s not  **your** nation, Veigar. Not after you attacked the town. Because of you, the town elders banned the use of magic for ALL yordles in Bandle City. Because of  **you** , we had to make Lulu an OUTCAST.” Veigar paused, surprised to hear the strange girl’s name again.

“Lulu? The Fae Sorceress? I’m surprised you care for her. She’s more like me than you know. And thanks to your elders, she’s surely feeling quite vulnerable right now. Ah, how poetic it would be to turn her against you. In your vain attempts to stop me, you would only have strengthened my power.” Sneering at the two girls, Veigar contemplated the possibility of converting Lulu to his cause. The jab was meant to infuriate them, but the prospect gave him pause. She was impressionable, impulsive, and wielded powerful magics; the perfect candidate for an evil servant.  _ But how can you ever trust someone to help you after what you’ve been through?  _ Veigar asked himself.

Unfortunately for him, the taunt worked too well. “You stay away from her you monster!” Tristana shouted, letting loose a blast from her cannon. It smashed into Veigar’s barrier, sending him careening backwards through the wall, landing with a thud in the cold sands outside. Veigar winced at the pain and glanced upwards at the moon. Midnight at last!

He laughed, pulling his scepter and cloak from the aether. Twisted energies swirled around him as he rose, growing more and more violent as he strode towards them. “FOOLS! You have sealed your fate!” Outstretching his staff, he readied a Primordial Burst, preparing to level this inn and everyone inside.

…

Suddenly, he was no longer standing in front of the inn. Poppy and Tristana were still there, but the three of them were surrounded by a large crowd of unfamiliar faces. Lowering his staff, he did a double take. To his surprise, they were standing in a large antechamber in the League Arcanium. A few years ago Veigar had stumbled across this hidden college during his quest, but was turned away by the residents. Glancing around at the others nearby, he was shocked to see several of them were yordles. Standing behind him, looking equally confused, was Teemo. He was flanked by a few others he didn’t recognize, as well as the obnoxious mech pilot Rumble.

_ This must have been the Grand Summoners doing.  _ Veigar thought. More than likely they had been teleported through the power of the coin. He fished it out of his pocket, the smooth surface glowing a bright, golden hue. A few of the other yordles noticed what he was doing and followed suit, pulling out their own coins.

A voice called out to him. “ Veigar! ” He groaned, recognizing the unique intonations. Lulu sprinted over to Veigar, skidding to a halt in front of him. “ You must have given me that coin just in time! Is this it, the big meeting of champions? Who are all these other yordles? Who are all these people? ” Veigar held up a hand, pinching the bridge of his nose with the other.

“Slow down, Witch. I do not know everything about what is happening, but I am sure the Grand Summoners will explain shortly.” Lulu tilted her head, eyeing him up and down.

“ Who are the Grand Summoners? ” She asked.

Veigar laughed at that. “You wanted a coin, and yet you don’t know who the Grand Summoners are? What kind of fool are you?”

Lulu frowned, folding her arms. “ Hey I just got out of the Glade remember? I haven’t been around for awhile. All I know is that the coin is important in saving the world! Pix told me so. ” She gestured to her fairy, who was floating lazily overhead. Veigar started to say something, but was cut off by a loud, booming voice.

“Greetings, Champions. Many of you are most likely confused as to where you are. This is the Arcanium, where we house many of our most powerful casters. Welcome, one and all.” The voice originated from a woman in a large, flowing purple robe. Her hair was pure white, her eyes an icy blue. She surveyed everyone in the hall with what could only be described as contempt, despite her polite greeting.

Veigar clenched his fists with anger. He DEFINITELY didn’t appreciate being condescended to, no matter who was speaking. Another robed figure, this time a large broad shouldered man with jet black hair, stepped up next to the woman.

“You are all here because you represent something. You represent Runeterra’s first step towards peace. As I am sure all of you know, the world is being torn apart by your wars. For as long as we can remember, our order has stepped aside, allowing you all to govern yourselves and fight amongst each other. However, due to recent events, this is no longer an option. Should you all continue in your quest to slaughter each other, the world will not recover.

“Great rifts spread across the surface, emanating enormous waves of corrupted magical energy. To the south, the Void emerges from Icathia. The very soil is being corrupted by all the magic that is being misused in your conflicts.” A murmur ran through the crowd of champions as they listened.

A man dressed in strange armor, colored a deep purple, glided forward. Veigar believed his name was Kassadin. “Grand Summoners, you speak of the threat of the Void, and yet I see members of their side standing within these very halls.” To make his point clear, he gestured towards the corner of the room. Veigar’s heart leapt to his throat. How had he not noticed them before?

Standing in the back end of the room were two enormous creatures, easily several stories tall. One was a dark reddish purple, with enormous pincers and a maw that could tear apart an entire town. The other was a strange, slightly smaller creature, akin to a mole but far more terrifying. Razor sharp talons adorned its paws, and its face was a mask with no eyes that Veigar could perceive. As Kassadin pointed them out, the larger one spoke in a guttural voice.

“ We were invited by the Grand Masters themselves. They fear our power, and so they involve us in this grand scheme of theirs. Be warned, if this is not favorable to the void, we will devour each and every one of you and raze your world to ash. ”

“That is enough.” A third voice sounded from the podium in the center of the grand hall. An imposing robed figure stood up next to the other two. His features were nearly indecipherable, and his voice was strangely soothing, despite the hectic environment. “Cho’Gath, you know as well as I that the Void is linked with our world. In your quest to destroy us, our rebellion against you would surely mean the end of BOTH our worlds.”

The figure turned to address everyone at once. “We have brought you all here for a reason, and one reason only. You shall no longer wage war against each other. This land will see eternal peace under our careful watch.” At that, a roar of outrage surged through the room. Two men in particular, the Crown Prince of Demacia and the Raven General of Noxus, were quite vocal against this proclamation.

As the shouting died down, the Raven General Swain was first to speak up. “You mean to strip away our freedom? What gives you the right to do so? Do you believe yourselves powerful enough to stop all of us?”

The woman smirked at him. “Our power is not the issue here. However, you make a fair point, and one we intend to address. We are not here to take away the freedom and rights of you or your people. We are here to mediate in conflict between nations and powerful individuals alike. Instead of dangerous armed conflicts being waged, you will select champions to represent your nation. These champions, you, will fight against another team of champions for any conflict that may arise. The winner of such duels will receive the full backing of the League in their goal, whatever it may be.

One of the yordles, who Veigar recognized as Corki, stepped forward. “But yer majesties, this presents a distinct disadvantage to the smaller nations who simply want to live in peace, such as Bandle City. Under your rules, any nation could lay claim to our hidden city or our secrets!”

The robed man raised his hand to silence the murmurs of interest that followed Corki’s statement. “Each battle must have equal wagers from both sides, and must be agreed to by both parties before the battle begins. We will not allow the unjust termination of any nation, lest they themselves willingly allow it to happen.”

The woman nodded. “We are also enforcing a neutral alignment policy. Champions will not be selected based on nation when satisfying conflicts. Many of you may end up fighting against your fellow comrade with such a system.

“We are able to enforce this through the use of Summoning magic. The coins you all possess allow you to be controlled by Summoners. These summoners have been hand selected from each of your collectives, and THEY will be the ones to represent your interests during conflict. You will still maintain control of yourself through the course of each “match”, but your will can be influenced by that of your Summoner.” The hall was completely silent, as if in shock of this outrageous plan of action.

The large creature in the middle stepped off the podium, now standing on level with everyone else. “Many of you will find this a violation of your rights. Know that we did not come to this decision lightly. Something else you should know, is that the coins you have will keep you alive, so long as you are on the Fields of Justice. Should you fall in battle, you will be resurrected to continue the fight. This effect is lessened outside the Institute due to the limit of its range. Several of you may have found that you are far more durable than you used to be. This is the weakened effect of the coins.”

Veigar stared at the figure, mouth agape. They could  _ resurrect _ people? Such magic was unheard of until now! In fact, it should have been absolutely impossible, if his readings on magic were correct. Unable to stay silent, Veigar stepped forward.

“Resurrection is impossible.” He stated, forcing himself to keep his tone level. “Everyone knows it. The gods that created our world made sure of this fact.” His voice felt small in such an enormous room, but he did his best to appear powerful in the face of such tremendous revelations.

The female summoner smiled at him, clearly amused by his presence. Veigar glared daggers at her, cursing whatever she was under his breath. “Very astute, Veigar. Resurrection magic  _ is  _ impossible for this world. However, we are working in direct service to your gods. They have granted us this power, and a few others, in order to enforce this plan. Would you care for a demonstration?”

Veigar frowned, wary of deception. Eventually, he gave the woman a curt nod. The female summoner spun on her heels and aimed her palm at him. Stepping back with a start, he was too slow to dodge as she blasted a beam of pure light at him. Striking his barrier, Veigar was horrified to see it blast through with ease. Burning away his flesh, his last thought was one of regret.

…

He let out a choked gasp as he sat up, the darkness giving way to the light of the hall. Glancing around, Veigar caught the gazes of everyone in the room as they stared at him with wonder. He had been killed so easily, as if not but an insect. Yet here he was, alive again.

“ Oh my god Veigar! Are you okay? ” Lulu shouted, falling to her knees beside him.

“Get off of me! I don’t need your help.” Veigar shoved her aside, pulling himself to his feet. Glancing up at the summoner woman, he desperately wished for the ability to kill someone with hate alone. The woman smiled at him maliciously, and the large robbed figure in the front cleared his throat.

“As you can see, so long as you are within the walls of the Institute, you will return to life. Our plan has been in the works for generations, and we decided it was finally time to unveil it. Now, I am sure you wish to return to your people and inform them of this change. Before you go, I must make clear to you the rules the League will be imposing.

“One, you may not kill another champion outside of the Fields of Justice unless absolutely necessary. Such a loss would be painful to the League, and we do not condone it. Second, the roster of Champions is final. Should any of you die outside of the Fields, your coin will simply cease to exist. We may introduce new champions as we see fit, but until further notice, you are looking at your potential allies and enemies for the future to come.”

Veigar bemusedly eyed his fellow yordles, who were busy murmuring amongst themselves. The woman stepped forward once more and said “Lastly, and this one should be obvious, there will be no external conflicts between nations or powerful individuals. Such conflicts MUST be taken up with the League, and be resolved in the fields of Justice.”

The robbed man pulled out a scroll and held it aloft for everyone to see. “We will be granting all of you unique powers that exist only for summoners such as ourselves. Use them as you see fit, we have emplaced no limits on your powers outside the Fields of Justice. Upon your return to wherever you came from, you will find a scroll detailing the rest of the proceedings of this endeavor.”

The three Summoners stepped back on the podium and turned to face one another, clasping their hands together in a circle. Blue tinted magic materialized at their feet, swirling around them in a column of power. Veigar had never seen such a large amount of magic before, even during the Rune Wars. The energy expanded, enveloping everyone in the Hall. Veigar felt a familiar lurch in his stomach, akin to what he had felt when they were first transported here. Sure enough, he was standing back in the desert, face to face with Tristana and Poppy.

Needless to say, all three of them looked very confused. Veigar was the first to break the silence. “I see no reason to continue our battle. Do you?” Both girls shook their heads, still reeling from the enormous weight they’d all been shouldered with. Veigar smirked, turned on his heels, and stalked off into the dunes. He wouldn’t be sleeping tonight, that was for sure.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Also, apologies for dropping the purple text. It was getting to be a pain to include. If I get enough requests, I'll go back through and give Lulu her purple text back <3
> 
> ~Aurora


	3. The Fluff Begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Veigar enjoys the "peace" brought by the League.
> 
> Lulu makes a new friend.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bam! New chapter! I promised you all I'd have one coming soon. I made a few drafts of this one, instead of just uploading the initial draft! Now that we're getting into the fluff and real content of the story, upload times are gonna be longer (maybe, I write fast). Thanks to everyone who's given kudos, it's such a huge motivator. Please let me know what you think of the chapter in the comments below. I'll respond to your lovely comments in the next update <3
> 
> Also, the chapter is a bit short. I figured it would be nice, following such a lengthy read from the last update. I hope you enjoy! ~Aurora
> 
> Edit: I've edited Chapter 3 as well! Keep in mind, Chapter 4 will be changing entirely. The old Chapter 4 is now chapter 5, and the new Chapter 4 is BRAND NEW! It will help with filling the gap in Veigar and Lulu's relationship <3

Veigar laid on his back, staring up at the clear skies hanging over the Institute. He had just wrapped up a match, settling some minor dispute between Zaun and Piltover. He’d won, of course, but he couldn’t shake the low boiling rage he felt in the pit of his stomach.

This… solution that the Grand Summoners had devised a few months ago. Nothing about it sat well with Veigar. It felt like a dirty towel wrapped around a gaping chest wound; a patch, not a cure. As if on queue, the burly Demacian, Garen, got locked in a heated argument with the female Noxian, Katarina. The two screamed at each other with clear hate in their eyes.

Veigar smirked as he watched the exchange from his hilltop.  _ Is this your grand solution, Summoners? Forcing everyone to kill each other over and over again, until their anger with one another becomes too great to control? Seems like an awful plan to me.  _ he thought, lowering down into the grass again.

This wasn’t peace. Innocent people were still slaughtered in the night by pirates and bandits. Somewhere, he was sure, there was a yordle suffering innumerable tortures, just as he had. The world was still just as twisted and horrible as it was before the League. True, the immense wars between the nations had ceased, which meant the ground beneath Veigar’s feet wouldn’t vanish overnight. He begrudgingly admitted that the Grand Summoners had, at the very least, ensured that the world would keep spinning on.

“Whatcha thinking about, Veigar?” A chipper voice smashed through his thoughts like a bull in a china shop. Groaning, he sat up and turned to see Lulu standing behind him, smiling widely at him. She’d been quite the pest since the League had begun, seemingly obsessed with him for some reason or another. Veigar had gone as far as asking the other yordles to convince her to stay away from him, but either they ignored him or she just didn’t care.

He didn’t answer her, instead pulling out a small book from the aether. Pulling it open, he tried his best to ignore her gaze burning into him. She was clearly very excited about something, the subject of which Veigar could only begin to guess. Sighing, he closed the book and set it down beside his staff.

“What do you want, Lulu?” He had abandoned calling her witch a few weeks ago, after he’d witnessed a particularly impressive display of skill by her in a match between Bandle City and Bilgewater Bay. Despite her innocent appearance, she could be quite the fighter if angered.

She widened her smile and hopped in place a little. “You actually answered! Gosh I uhm… wasn’t expecting that actually. Usually you just ignore me or leave. I… forgot what I wanted to ask.” She giggled and scratched the back of her head, sticking her tongue out a bit.

Veigar sighed and stood up, snatching his staff from it’s perch on a small boulder. “Leave me alone already.” He couldn't kill her, at least not here. Besides, the League would never let him hear the end of it. Threats just didn’t feel worthwhile when he couldn’t follow through anymore. He hoped that if he continued to give her the cold shoulder, she would get the message and leave him alone. So far, that plan was failing miserably.

Lulu visibly deflated, her ears wilting slightly, but she nodded and glumly turned away. As Veigar started down the hill in the opposite direction, he heard an unpleasant but familiar voice.

“Why hello there, madam. I was just… passing through, and couldn’t help but notice you all the way out here.” Veigar groaned. Tahm Kench was far worse than Lulu. At least Tahm didn’t hate him like he did other-

_ Wait,  _ Veigar thought, pausing.  _ Did he say  _ **_madam?_ ** He turned to see that Tahm wasn’t even speaking to him. His attention was focused on the young sorceress, who was looking up at the large toad man nervously.

“Uhm… hello Tahm. I was just leaving actually…” Attempting to push past him back down the hill, Lulu let out a little squeak as Tahm stepped in front of her, blocking her escape. Seemingly undistracted by her attempt to leave, he continued.

“You see, I was terribly inconvenienced by you and your fairy magic in the last match. And while I understand that the League…  **suggested** that we not kill our fellow champions, I can’t seem to help myself around you yordles.” He took a step forward menacingly, causing Lulu to fall backwards in fear.

Tahm Kench chuckled, his laugh echoing in his deep gullet. “Oh never fear, darling. You’ll still be able to wake up tomorrow for work. I just plan on roughing you up a bit, so you know not to mess with me in the future.” With that, he reached for Lulu, his eyes wild with a mixture of anger and hunger.

A blue star whistled down from the clear sky, smashing into Tahm Kench. The monstrous riverman went flying backwards, skidding to a halt as his head smashed into a bush. For whatever reason, seeing Lulu being attacked had made Veigar… angry. Veigar had frankly considered Tahm Kench more tolerable than most, which is why both himself and Tahm were surprised when he stepped forward protectively in front of Lulu.

“Leave the girl alone, River King. She beat you and your team fair and square.” Tahm picked himself up, licking his lips with his long tongue.

“Ahhhh, Veigar. One of the few Yordles I can… tolerate. What caused you to attack lil ol’ Tahm? I highly doubt it was for the girl. After all, you’re the Master of Evil. You have no friends, isn’t that right?”

Veigar frowned and took a step towards Tahm. “Not another word, Tahm. You disrupted my quiet evening. I’m letting you live because of our past, but if you continue to bother me…” To accentuate his point, Veigar ignited his hand with purple flames.

Tahm’s gaze darted between Lulu and Veigar before letting out another chuckle. He stooped down and picked up his small hat, then made a dramatic bow. “As you request, Dark Warlock. I shall take my leave then.” He flashed a glare at Lulu before turning and waddling back down the hill towards the Institute.

Veigar heaved a sigh and glanced down at Lulu, her eyes still wild with fear. Reaching down, he offered her a gloved hand. Lulu glanced up at him, her breathing slowing to a normal pace, and accepted his help. Hoisting Lulu to her feet, he moved to leave.

“W-wait.” Lulu grabbed Veigar’s free hand, pulling him back. “Why did you… why did you save me?” Veigar winced as she looked at him quizzically. He had hoped to slip away while she was still in a daze and avoid the questioning.

“The Master of Evil does not need to explain his actions to anyone. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have somewhere to be.” Lulu let go of his glove and lowered her gaze, but as Veigar moved to leave, she continued.

“I’ve never been that well liked. No matter where I go, I always seem to make people uncomfortable. People look at me with suspicion like I’m going to hurt them, when all I want is to be their friend.” She looked up at Veigar, her eyes twinged with blue as a few tears ran down her cheeks.

“I don’t know why you gave me the coin back in the forest, but I just wanted to say thank you. It meant a lot to me.” Lulu sniffled, wiping her tears away with her long sleeves. “I’ll leave you in peace. I promise not to bother you anymore.”

Lulu moved to leave, but this time it was Veigar who grabbed her sleeve. “Wait.”

_ I can’t believe I’m doing this.  _ Veigar just couldn’t help himself. Listening to her story, it all sounded so  _ familiar _ . “I don’t… hate having you around. You’re certainly leagues above the rest of our kind when it comes to decency. If I had to choose who pestered me every morning, you’d probably be top of the list.”

Lulu started, looking back at him with wide eyes. “Really? You mean it? I’m not bothering you?”

_ God damn my weak heart.  _ “Not in the slightest. I’m just not very good at expressing it. I haven’t really spoken to many people in a long time.” She beamed at him, then jumped in the air.  _ Good lord she has quite the jump!  _ He thought, letting slip a small chuckle.

Veigar started as he realized something. “Lulu, did you remember what it was you wanted to talk to me about earlier?” She nodded, and from her bag she pulled out an Amplifying Tome. Veigar eyed it curiously as she held it out.

“I’m still incredibly grateful to you for gifting me a coin. The League has been amazing for me! I haven’t managed to make any friends yet, but I’ve definitely impressed people with my skills. I’m sure sooner or later someone will want to be my friend, and that’s all thanks to you. I wanted to repay you with a gift of my own. I used some of the remaining money to buy it from a stall at the end of the match, and snuck it out of the arena.” She held a finger to her lips and winked.

Veigar smiled with amusement. “I thought you were a goody two shoes. Is it really okay for you to do something as bad as steal from the League?”

She huffed with indignation. “It’s not stealing! I paid for it. I just… bent the rules a little bit.” Veigar laughed at her expression as she tried to hastily cover up her act.

“Maybe there’s hope for you yet, Lulu.”

Grinning, Veigar looked Lulu over. His breath caught in his throat. She looked different, and it wasn’t just her eyes. For the first time he noticed the slender curves of her cheeks, the tender movements as she sashayed excitedly, her slight but beautiful purple lips… Veigar shook his head. He was the Master of Evil! Not some hormone driven yordle hellbent on companionship. Still, he couldn’t deny that Lulu was quite an attractive yordle, despite her annoying tendencies.

Lulu peered at Veigar curiously. “Is there something wrong, Veigar? You went stiff as a board. Is Tahm Kench back?”

Veigar shook his head. “It’s nothing. I just saw something rather pretty.”

Looking over his shoulder, Lulu tried to spy what Veigar was talking about. “What did you see? The mountains over there? They  _ are _ very pretty!” Veigar snorted. She may be skilled on the fields, but she was more oblivious than a rift scuttler.

“Is there anything else you needed from me, Lulu?”

She smiled. “There’s just one more thing!”

Veigar looked at her curiously. “And what would that be?”

Without warning, Lulu leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek.

“A reward for my hero! I’m paying back my debt, just like you did for me. It’s something one friend does for another, right?” Veigar stumbled backwards, his face beet red with embarrassment. Lulu giggled at his reaction, wiggling joyfully.

“Does this make us friends, Veigar?” she asked innocently, swaying timidly in anticipation of his answer.

This made Veigar pause. Were they friends? Veigar hadn’t been close to someone since before he became the Master of Evil. Was a yordle as cruel and cold as him even deserving of companionship. He looked at Lulu, seemingly on the edge of her metaphorical seat, and let out a deep sigh.

“Yes, Lulu.” Veigar said, giving her a faint smile. “I think it’s safe to say we’re friends.”

Veigar stooped down and collected the remainder of his things. “Now, I do genuinely have something to attend to in the institute. I’ll see you around?”

Lulu nodded emphatically. “You betcha!”

The two walked down the hill together in silence, Lulu beaming at Veigar as he attempted to hide his blush. It wouldn’t do well for everyone in the Institute to think he was a weak willed child. Parting ways with Lulu, he approached a large stall selling a variety of magical items for use outside of the Fields.

Lulu turned to Pix. “Shall we go home, Pix?” The fairy nodded in agreement, yawning and slipping under her hat to take a nap. Before she could channel the teleport spell, she spotted a yordle approaching her.  _ Is that Teemo?  _ she thought, waving hello.

Teemo waved back as he cleared the distance between the two. “How are you doing, Lulu?”

Lulu smiled and flashed a glance to where Veigar was standing a few feet away. “Great, actually! I just made a friend.”

Teemo followed her gaze, and his mouth dropped open when he spotted Veigar. “Lulu, you don’t mean to tell me your new friend is VEIGAR, do you?”

Lulu threw her hands in the air with exasperation. “Everyone keeps reacting like that! What’s the big deal with Veigar? All he’s been is nice to me. Far more kind than anyone in Bandle City.”

Teemo grimaced at the jab, being a major representative of their hometown. “Lulu, I  _ promise _ we’re doing everything we can to get the ban removed. No one blames you for what happened, it just made us all a little on edge.”

Lulu frowned and folded her arms. “Well you know who isn’t put on edge by me? Veigar!” A sinister idea popped in her head. She struck a pose similar to how Veigar does when he’s trying to be intimidating.

“Now, unless you have something you require from me, I must be going!” she said, desperately trying to suppress a laugh while mimicking Veigar’s voice.

Teemo’s eyes widened and he took a step back by reflex. When he realized she was joking, he sighed. “Just promise me you’ll stay safe, okay Lulu? He’s not the same as the rest of us. Something changed him.”

Lulu dropped her fake stance and looked Teemo in the eyes, joviality gone. “I know. That’s why I like him.”


	4. Rocky Beginnings

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The two yordles test their new "friendship" in the dunes of Shurima.
> 
> Lulu sticks her finger in something.
> 
> Veigar gets triple teamed.
> 
> Rated E for everyone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Greetings, peasants! It is I, your grand empress. "But Aurora, what the hell is chapter 3.5 bluh bluh bluh"
> 
> Shush your mouth holes! I do what I want. On a serious note, I got a LOT of feedback that in Chapter 4, Lulu and Veigar's relationship progressed too quickly in comparison to it's development in Chapter 3. In a sense, people felt that they ended chapter 3 as friends, but the way they interacted in chapter 4 was far too familiar. Veigar already used a nickname for Lulu, they were INCREDIBLY flirtatious, etc. This chapter serves to bridge that gap! Sorry it wasn't chapter 6, that's in the works and should be out soon :3
> 
> Enjoy! (I will be doing comments on Chapter 6, not this one!)

Falling back with a start, Lulu popped her index finger into her mouth, eyes watering from the pain. Veigar sighed, bringing his palm to his face. “That’s what you get for sticking your hand in a glowing fissure in the middle of nowhere.” Veigar said, chiding her impulsive behavior.

She looked up at him and frowned, wiping her face. “Everything is so different out here. In the Glade, purple was never dangerous!”

Grimacing, Veigar cast a glance at his fingers as they crackled with his signature violet magic. “A lot of things are different now. The world has changed a lot in your absence.”

Not sure how to respond, Lulu stepped to her feet, brushing sand off her skirt. Veigar glanced at her, then strode off deeper into the ruins. “Wait up!” Lulu called after him, snatching her oaken staff off the ground. Pix trailed behind her, glancing around warily.

“If we spend too much time out here, the desert sun will melt our brains to mush.” Veigar said flatly, heaving himself over a steep dune.  _ Why on Runeterra, _ Veigar thought, _ did I agree to come with this girl? She may have held her own in the Rift where there are rules in place, but in the real world she acts like a mewling babe. _

He was beginning to regret opening up, especially to someone as crazy as Lulu.  _ She holds no concern for her personal safety,  _ Veigar continued grousing to himself.  _ Shoving her hands in whatever looks the most interesting.  _ He approached the Shuriman Temple, his eyes darting around in search of a way in. Frowning at the sealed entrance, he smacked the butt of his staff into the stone. Dark energy spread through the cracks like a sickness, ripping apart the impeding rubble.

Veigar pulled out a small map of the area, silently mourning the lack of information displayed. Most of Shurima’s deserts were uncharted due to the dangerous creatures that dwelled within the dunes. Few dared venture beyond the occasional oasis, save for the odd adventurer or treasure hunter. Veigar was more than a match for the occasional dune rat or voidling that burst from the sands, but he was beyond menial tasks like mapping vast stretches of desert.

Sparing a glance back at Lulu, who was busy inspecting another void tear in the ground, Veigar pushed his way into the temple. Conjuring a ball of purple light, Veigar walked down the ramp into the ruins. He dragged his hand slowly across the wall, his gauntlet tracing a faded mural of Shurima’s ancient history. In one of the scenes, a small girl is fleeing from a terrifying monster that towers over the landscape like a mountain. In the following frame, the girl was rescued by a glowing knight with the face of an animal. Intrigued, Veigar inspected the opposite wall, only to feel his heart sink. The entire west side of the walkway was ruined, massive pieces of the story ripped from the wall. He felt a crunch beneath his feet. Holding his staff towards the ground, Veigar illuminated a missing piece of the tale.

The young girl had become an adult, her hair so long it trailed behind her like a river. She was standing on a strange dais, accompanied by that same golden warrior. A beam of light shone from the sky, aimed directly at the girl’s heart. He couldn’t make out what the two figures were staring at. Veigar smirked and strode deeper inside. From what little he knew of the Shuriman kingdom, the mural was most likely depicting the so called heroics of their god warriors.

Blasting apart a large pile of rubble blocking the path, Veigar strode out of the hallway and into a strange room. Despite most of this temple being buried in the sands, an enormous moonroof hung over the the expansive chamber. Evening light beamed from the open ceiling, casting long shadows behind the weathered sandstone pillars lining the walls. Large pieces of rubble lay strewn about the sandy floor, cracked and worn from decades of decay.

Across the way, a dim green light illuminated an open door frame, casting an eerie shadow that stretched unnaturally towards Veigar. He strode forward confidently, summoning a faint translucent purple sphere around him. The shadows swelled up and crashed into Veigar’s barrier like a tidal wave, attempting to push him back. Swinging his staff in a wide arc, he cut the darkness with his magic, filling the room with a violet glow. Now unassailed by the unnatural gloom, Veigar spied his prize; a green crystal dagger, floating over a hewn dais in the far room. Smiling triumphantly, he moved to recover the artifact.

A high pitched scream ripped through the air like an arrow, causing Veigar to stagger. He whipped his head around, eyes widening with panic. The ground underneath Veigar’s feet began to tremble, and a loose piece of tile fell from the ceiling, nearly crushing him. “Lulu!” Veigar shouted back, hoping beyond hope his fear was unfounded.

_ I just made a friend, _ he thought, turning on his heels and sprinting for the entrance. _ I’m not going to lose her! _

He slowed his retreat as the temple’s shaking became more violent. If he went to save Lulu, the artifact would be lost. Already the columns surrounding him were buckling under the pressure, their weak foundations failing to support the massive amounts of sand looming above. Casting a glance towards the artifact, he sighed.  _ Curse my weak will! _

Retreating up the large ramp out of the ruin, he ignited his hand with a purple fire, his eyes an equally blazing yellow. He barely cleared the door before a crenulation collapsed, sealing the temple behind him. Mourning his lost relic, he cast his eyes around the clearing outside. He found Lulu quickly, her arms trembling as she held her staff out in front of her. Pix was floating directly over her, arms straining as he conjured a barrier around them.

Directly in front of her, a ravenous voidling hammered on her shield. The terrifying monster had purple chitin shingled across it’s back, with razor sharp talons adorning six panicked limbs. The creature roared with hunger, flecks of purple saliva splattering from its razor filled maw. The glowing liquid splashed on the sand, igniting the grains on contact. With a roar of his own, Veigar hurled a blazing sphere at the creature. Colliding into the abomination’s armored head, it careened backwards. The creature slammed into one of the dunes, throwing up a large dust cloud.

Veigar dashed over to Lulu, reaching down and offering her a hand. “Are you okay?” he asked, eyeing her over with concern. She nodded, shakily accepting his help.

“It came out of the ground! There was no warning and I didn’t do anything to-” She stammered, her face panicked. Veigar pulled her into a hug, trying to calm the terrified yordle. The last thing he needed was for her to have a panic attack.

“It’s not your fault, Lu. These things are aggressive to everything.” Veigar frowned at his own words.  _ Lu? Since when did I have a nickname for Lulu?  _ Before he could puzzle out his surprising affection, the ground shook violently. Bursting from the dunes, three more voidlings took the place of the first. They howled with anger, clearly enraged by the loss of their friend. Veigar cursed his arrogance and moved protectively in front of Lulu. Twirling his staff, he began conjuring a barrier. One of the voidlings leaped at him, its claws slashing at Veigar’s torso. Caught by surprise, the attack managed to scratch Veigar before he finish casting the protective bubble.

Sliding backwards a few feet, he collided with Lulu. She let out a surprised yelp as he knocked her to the floor. Shouting a battle cry, Veigar surrounded his scepter with a faint outline. Grasping the hilt with both hands, he slammed the top of his weapon into the creature’s carapace. It cracked under the blow, throwing purple ichor in all directions. Some of the blood splattered onto Veigar’s cloak, burning away at the blue fabric.

The wounded beast reared back in agony, blindly flailing its limbs. The shield bent under the force of the strike, knocking the wind out of Veigar but leaving him unharmed. The remaining voidlings rushed towards Veigar, fearful maws open wide. Veigar pulled desperately at his magic reserves, attempting to reinforce his barrier enough to withstand the blows of the three creatures.

Right as the voidlings brought their claws down on Veigar’s barrier, an enormous boulder slammed into them. It flattened the three of them in one motion, smearing their corpses against the side of the crumpled temple. Veigar glanced back at Lulu, surprised at her elemental manipulation. Her eyes still wide with panic, she shook her head slightly.

“Two small stones out of place, far from home.” A voice called, young and melodic. Glancing around, Veigar spotted a young girl coming towards them.  _ Is she surfing on sand? _ Veigar thought, mouth agape. She rode across the dunes on a smoothed stone, her long red cloak billowing out behind her. Tassels tipped with rock swung wildly in the wind as she rode, her brown hair equally chaotic. Sliding to a stop, the girl sprayed the two friends with a wave of sand.

“Whoops, sorry! I’m still learning to control myself.” The girl rubbed her head sheepishly, a grin plastered on her freckled face. Veigar heard Lulu heave a sigh of relief and felt her hand squeeze his shoulder. Grumbling, Veigar reluctantly let himself relax, lowering his staff.

Lulu approached the tanned girl with a smile. “Taliyah! I didn’t know you were out here. Why are you so far from your village?”

Taliyah shrugged, pulling a canteen of water from her side and taking a quick drink. “I heard rumors that a couple of would be treasure hunters were searching for ancient Shuriman artifacts out here on their own. From the vague descriptions the nomads gave, they sounded ill prepared.” Taliyah eyed the two yordles with suspicion. “I don’t suppose they meant you, did they?”

This time Lulu was the one to act sheepish, averting Taliyah’s piercing gaze. “We certainly weren’t prepared, that was for sure! You really saved us back there.”

Taliyah laughed, her voice akin to a songbird. “Anytime! I protect anyone I can out here in the dunes.” Her laughter died in her throat as she spied the wounds Lulu was sporting. Taliyah quickly knelt in front of her, inspecting the cut above her eye.

“Was this from one of the voidlings? Often times their claws carry a deadly poison.”

Lulu shook her head. “No, this was from a some rubble. When the voidling erupted from the ground, a piece of rock glanced my forehead. I’m fine, really! Veigar quickly came to my rescue, so I was never in too much danger.” Lulu gestured to the grumpy yordle, who gave Taliyah a curt nod.

Taliyah frowned at him, fingers dancing nervously across a smooth rock tied to her belt. “This wouldn’t happen to be the same Veigar I’ve heard stories about, would it? The self proclaimed master of evil who is responsible for the razing of several villages in Shuriman and Ionian territory alike?”

Veigar coughed but did not respond to her accusations. Taliyah’s expression grew dark, a few stones floating around her now outstretched hand. “Lulu, I don’t know why you’re here with him, but if you need my help just say the word. I’ll bury him in an avalanche of stone!”

Veigar’s eyes widened. He hesitated, worried that if he moved to protect himself, the angry Shuriman girl would attack. Lulu quickly stepped between them, shaking her head fiercely. “You’ve got it all wrong, Taliyah! Veigar would never do something like that.”

Glancing between the two yordles, Taliyah’s stones whirled rapidly around her palm. Veigar wagered a guess that the girl’s powers were tied to her emotions. Eventually, Taliyah relaxed, letting the stones fall to the floor harmlessly. However, she maintained her glower, staring daggers at Veigar. “Lulu, you seem like a nice girl. But if I catch you hanging out with a murderer like him again, I won’t be so nice in our next encounter.”

Whirling around, Taliyah let out a huff of indignation. A stone erupted from the floor, catapulting her off into the night. As soon as Taliyah was out of sight, Veigar slumped to the floor. Gasping, he pulled at his robes. Parting the tattered cloth, Veigar reveal a deep scratch oozing purple venom. Lulu cried out and fell to her knees, inspecting his wound.

“Veigar, this looks bad!” She exclaimed, her hand hovering slightly above the cut. Veigar grunted in agreement, the pain dulling his ability to respond.

“Maybe I should have had that girl frisk me over as well,” he joked grimly. “She might have an antidote for this.”

Clearly unamused by Veigar’s attempt at humor, Lulu closed her eyes, brow creasing. Veigar observed her with interest, wincing occasionally as he felt the poison making its way through him.

“I’ll be fine Lulu,” Veigar said. “Dark magic may not be suited for healing, but I can certainly prevent my own death. I can probably stall it long enough to find a healer.” He hoped his voice held enough conviction to persuade her.  _ Maybe I’m trying to persuade myself, too. _ Veigar thought, eyeing the gouge in his flesh. The purple ooze had begun to fester, giving off an unpleasant odor.

Lulu didn’t respond, her eyes still held shut tightly. Nervously, Veigar shook her shoulder. “Lu, there could be more of them. Leave me to-”

An  _ explosion _ of magic burst from Lulu’s hands, strands of pink and green intertwining in a complex pattern around Veigar’s wound. Watching in stunned silence, Veigar felt the pain ebb as Lulu’s power coursed through him in a way he hadn’t thought possible.

“You’re a healer?” He voiced, visibly confused. The closest to healing Veigar had seen Lulu perform was her Wild Growth spell, which was more of an enchantment than healing magic. She didn’t respond, clearly immersed in her work. The wound was purified near instantly, returning to the natural teal color of Veigar’s skin. Seemingly of its own accord, the skin knitted itself back together with expert precision.

Lulu let out a gasp, falling backwards into the sand. Bringing a hand to his side, Veigar didn’t even feel a scar. He watched Lulu catch her breath in stunned silence, unsure of what to say. Glancing at him between gasps, Lulu let out a choked laugh.

“Cmon, Vei Vei. You’re making me feel like a weirdo.” She complained, still a bit breathless from her spell.

“Why… how? No, that doesn’t matter. Why did you do something that is clearly so taxing? Draining your magic like that… you could have died.” Veigar wasn’t sure why, but he felt angry.  _ She’s an idiot! It’s exactly as I thought, she has no self preservation. _

“Because you’re my friend.” She said, pulling herself to her feet.

Veigar shook his head, dumbfounded. “Friends don’t nearly kill themselves for one another. What you did was…”

Lulu let out a huff, her hands on her hips. “Vei Vei, I don’t think you understand just how important you are to me!” Veigar’s eyes widened as she continued, chiding him like a youngling.

“Your friendship is the first genuinely nice thing anyone has done for me since I left the Glade! Sure, people are polite to me. They give me common courtesies and even try and help, like Taliyah just did. But the way they look at me when they think I’m not watching…” She shivered, and Veigar knew from experience it wasn’t because of the cold wind.

“But you! When we first met, I turned you into a  _ squirrel _ ! Anyone else would have run away screaming or tried to kill me. Instead, you blustered and postured like you were trying to impress someone.”

She smiled warmly at him. “Everyone keeps telling me how evil and cruel you are. I don’t agree with any of them.”

Veigar grimaced. “They’re not exactly lying, Lu.”  _ Again with the shorthands. _

He sighed, staring up at the night sky. “I’ve killed innocent people. More than I can count in the immediate moment. My entire purpose is conquering all of Runeterra. You can’t get more cruel than that, save for the Void’s all consuming hunger.”

Lulu laughed. She  _ laughed _ ! Veigar gawked at her. “Lulu?”

Her giggling stretched beyond the ruins, a comforting note in the silence of the desert night. Wiping a few tears from her eyes, she walked over to Veigar. “So what?”

Veigar threw his hands in the air with exasperation. “So what!? How can something like that be forgivable!”

She nodded. “You think you’re the first person in my life to do something wrong? Tell me,  _ Master of Evil _ .” Veigar didn’t appreciate the jestful tone Lulu used. “If you are truly as evil as you claim to be, why do you want to conquer all of Runeterra?”

Veigar frowned. “To be the most powerful, of course.”

Lulu smiled. “Are you not already?”

Pausing, Veigar recalled the moment of his temporary demise in the Arcanium. “No, I’m not.” He said sullenly, turning his head to avoid her poignant stare.

“Will conquering everyone make you the most powerful?” She questioned, eyes glistening in the moonlight.

Veigar went strangely quiet at that, and Lulu worried she may have offended him. Eventually, he replied. “No.”

“Then I ask again; why do you want to rule the world?”

Veigar mumbled something Lulu couldn’t hear. She leaned in, hand cupped around her ear. “I’m sorry, I didn’t-”

He whipped his head around, his golden eyes casting long shadows across his face in the darkness. “To make sure people like us are never mistreated again.”

Lulu stiffened with surprise. “What do you mean, Vei Vei?”

“There’s a reason,” Veigar said,  “I didn’t kill you when we first met.”

Smiling, Lulu struck an adorable pose. “My charming personality, right?”

He smirked. “Lulu, you’re about as annoying as they come. You prod and poke without a care in the world for the privacy or safety of anyone, yourself included. Skipping around like you just don’t care, you could even drive a  _ robot _ insane.”

Lulu’s heat sunk as Veigar berated her, lip quivering slightly in protest.

“And yet... “ Veigar continued, narrowing his eyes at her. “I can’t help but smile when you’re around. It’s baffling, honestly. Despite your chaotic nature, I actually enjoy having you around.”

Covering her mouth, Lulu suppressed a squee of joy.  _ He actually likes me!  _ She thought, a smile beaming behind her hands.

“The reason I didn’t strike you down for your insolence,” he continued, not paying heed to her contained outburst, “was because I recognized the look in your eyes. Despite the smile you maintained for our entire conversation, your eyes reflected a loneliness that very few of our kind have ever experienced. Loneliness like what I’ve lived through for the past several centuries.”

The corners of his mouth curled into a sneer. “The people of this world shove aside anyone who doesn’t conform to their vision. Yordles outcast anyone who won’t sing the praises of joy and friendship, especially magic casters. If you visit Demacia, they parade through the streets like a paragon of justice. In reality, they imprison all of their mages in deep cells despite their innocence.

“We live in a world where those who want to do good are punished by people in power. I seek control so that no one will ever again experience what we’ve been through. Isolation and loneliness will be a thing of the past under my rule, and anyone who tries to deny my peace will be removed.” His voice carried a quiet desperation, motivated by something Lulu didn’t understand. Fists trembling, Veigar let out a ragged breath.

“Think of me what you will,” He continued, casting a sideways glance at her as he paced. ”I’ve already decided. Even if you vilify me, I will ensure that yordles like us never have to suffer ever again.”

This was the first time Veigar had stated his intentions aloud. The voice he used while detailing his plan felt foreign, like someone else was forcing him to verbalize his machinations. His back to Lulu, he stared up at the night sky.  _ I may lose my only friend for this,  _ he thought, feeling her gaze boring into his skull.  _ But I won’t lie to her about my intentions. _

He felt a hand gently clasp around his own. Hesitantly, Veigar lowered his eyes and met Lulu’s stare. She held up Veigar’s gauntlet, her fingers laced with his. “That doesn’t sound evil in the least.”

Lulu smiled warmly at Veigar, then yanked him into a fierce hug. Veigar stood awkwardly as Lulu nuzzled her head into his neck, unsure of how to respond. Eventually, he wrapped his arms around Lulu, relaxing in her grasp.

“For a Master of Evil, you sure are a lot of fun to hug” Her teasing made Veigar blush, but he did his best to take it in stride.

“Of course.” He said, smirking. “Sometimes defeating an opponent requires deception rather than raw power.”

Lulu giggled, bopping him on the nose. “Whatever you say, Vei Vei.”

Veigar took her hand in his, meeting her gaze. “Can you not use that nickname? It’s embarrassing, and hardly befits someone of my stature.”

“Says the one who called me Lu! That’s rather informal, don’t you think?”

He laughed. “You got me there. I’m not really sure why, it just felt right. Do you not like it?”

Lulu blushed slightly, giving him a coy grin. “I think it’s sweet.”

Veigar made a grandiose bow, taking his cap off with a flourish. “Then if my lady request it, I shall henceforth address her as Lu.”

Squealing with delight, Lulu clapped her hands together enthusiastically.

“Excellent!” She exclaimed, then held a finger to her lips. “Well, if you don’t like Vei Vei… how about Vei?”

Veigar snorted. “Won’t that get confusing if we ever talk to that gauntlet girl? If I remember correctly, her name is Vi as well.”

Rolling her eyes, Lulu gave him a slight shove. “Like all three of us will ever be in the same place at the same time.”

Grinning, Veigar gave her a nod. “If you insist. You may call me Vei, the Grandmaster.”

Lulu shoved him even harder. “No way am I calling you Grandmaster!”

Grunting, Veigar fell on his butt. Her shove was surprisingly strong for someone so small. He snatched her hand, yanking her down next to him. The two continued throwing verbal jabs at each other as the night grew long, resting in the chilled sand.

After a while, Lulu and Veigar went silent, simply content with sitting next to one another. They stared up at the celestial expanse together, a beautiful cosmos of purple and blue shining overhead. Occasionally, Veigar would point out a constellation he recognized in the sky.

“Do you see those four stars over there?” Veigar pointed, guiding Lulu’s eyes. “Those make up the constellation Dresmos, dedicated to a yordle astronomer who discovered it. It’s supposed to look like a spyglass, but I can’t seem to make it out.”

Following his outstretched finger, Lulu held up her staff, tracing the stars together with a line of purple magic. Veigar gasped as Lulu perfectly outlined the shape of a spyglass.

“See, Veigar? You just have to look at things a little differently.” She said, dispersing the image she’d drawn. “Once you do, everything makes a little more sense.”

Veigar watched her as she continued to trace the stars together, making shapes from nothing.  _ I think I’m starting to take your advice, Lu. _

She gasped. “Veigar! What is this?”

Lulu gestured upwards. Veigar followed her pointing, then let slip a smile. Streaks of light sped across the dark heavens, flashing orange and yellow as they traversed the starry night.

“It’s a meteor shower, Lu.” Veigar himself had only seen a couple, since he was usually buried in his books back at home. He gripped Lulu’s hand tightly, watching the spectacle.

“It’s beautiful…” she murmured, her eyes reflecting the colorful flashes. She leaned into Veigar’s shoulder silently, transfixed by the light show. Veigar silently thanked whatever god was listening, enjoying the wonders of the night together with his friend


	5. A Jealous Game

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just another day at the Institute, right?
> 
> Veigar envies a small child.
> 
> Lulu gets a machine gun.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaaand I wasn't even able to wait a week. I feel like I should be spacing these chapters out a bit more, but I just can't help it! Writing this fic has brought me immeasurable joy, and I hope to continue for a long long time! To give you a vague idea for what I have planned, I've tentatively divided the story into 5 Acts. Each will probably get longer the more I write and the better I become AT writing. The first Act, the one we're in now, will probably come out to AT LEAST 12 chapters. As I get towards the finale of the first Act, I'll probably slow my upload speed, just so I can take the extra time to go over each chapter meticulously. So yea, of we average it out, we're looking at about 60 chapters, each clocking in at about 6,500 (on average) words per chapter. Strap in, y'all. We're going on an ADVENTURE.  
> Anyways, I'm taking a page out of Vitalus' book (potentially due to the fact that they didn't have any option BUT to include reader responses at the end of the fic) and responding to reader feedback! Since I've been an impatient little brat, I don't really have a lot of reviews to respond to, but whatever! You're not the boss of me!  
> I'll let you get to the dang fic now. The reviews will be at the end from now on! Love you all, and I hope you enjoy. ~Aurora

_Sure, the League weakens MY powers substantially, but Teemo's allowed to place a dozen mushrooms in a tight corner and that's just dandy!_ Veigar thought angrily, stalking out of a rather tedious match. Everything had been going fine until that pathetic hammer-wielding yordle decided to strut down the river, caution to the wind.   
  
He grimaced, recalling the screams of pain and enormous explosions of green as Teemo's mushroom traps were triggered by Poppy. _And they say I'M the only evil yordle that exists._   
  
As he strode through the open courtyard of the Institute of the League, he passed the Spectators Hall. What the League had failed to inform the champions when they had been initiated was that this "peace strategy" of theirs was also intended to be a spectator sport. Even now, thousands of citizens all across the realm of Runeterra waited with baited breath in front of their scrolls as the League prepared for the next match.   
  
Some of the champions relished in this newfound fame and glory. The Noxian Executioner Craven, famed brother of Darius and resident narcissist, particularly reveled in the excitement he brought the crowds with his special brand of savagery.   
  
Others, like Veigar, found it immensely annoying. It felt like his lifelong goal, to bring peace to Runeterra by subjugating all the nations, was being treated as a game for others entertainment.   
  
The Spectator Hall existed so other champions could watch in on current matches. Veigar had never been in there himself. He had nothing to fear from any of his opponents, so why bother?   
  
However, something caught his eye on the massive display hanging in the room as he passed the door. Was that... Lulu in mid lane? He frowned. From what she had told him, her abilities purely revolved around assisting others, with only a few minor spells to deal damage and protect herself.   
  
His brow furrowed deeper when he saw her opponent: Tahm Kench. They already had a rather poor relationship, and Veigar knew that the River King would surely abuse any chance he could to harm Lulu in "legitimate" circumstances. Sometimes it felt like the Grand Tribunal was always watching their actions, trying to discern what matchups would be the most entertaining.   
  
Surprising himself, he pushed through the hanging curtains of the hall and stepped inside. The interior was nothing to scoff at. An illuminated trim of enchanted gold ran along the edges of the room, giving it an eerie yellow glow. Cushions meticulously handwoven from runecloth adorned comfortable couches made of a violet fabric Veigar didn't recognize. Banners enchanted with scrying spells hung from the ceiling, allowing the residents of the Hall watch the match from a plethora of angles.   
  
A few champions were lingering, watching the beginnings of the game with only mild interest. It'd been about five months since the League had formed, and many of them were no longer impressed by the otherwise spectacular shows put on by the current combatants. The Hall was simply a nice place to wait in anticipation for a champion's own match. Several of the attendees murmured with interest as they noticed Veigar's arrival, but none made a move to greet him. _Expected,_ he thought, _but I'm disappointed nonetheless. I was hoping for a distraction to take this damn edge off._   
  
Veigar winced, touching his temple with his gauntlet. His headaches had been getting severe lately, a constant reminder of his past tortures. Sitting down next to a scroll focused on his friend, he feigned disinterest, pulling out a rag soaked in mineral oil and wiping his staff.   
  
Lulu skipped forward down the lane, trying her best to hide the nervousness swirling in her head like an angry swarm of butterflies. She'd been lucky to avoid Tahm Kench since their last encounter, secretly praying that the day would never come. Alas, fortune seemed disinterested in her plight today as she eyed the large catfish creature from across the lane. She was particularly anxious because the Summoner she was working with today had a very... strange plan.   
  
_Are you certain this is a good idea, Summoner? I'm not exactly the most combative person._ She heard laughter in her head, indicative that her summoner was at the very least willing to listen.   
  
_Never fear, Lulu! This is my master strategy, months in the making. You've nothing to fear from that grey menace._ Lulu sighed, trying and failing to take comfort from her Summoner's bold claims. She glanced at Pix, who floated in a lazy orbit around her head.   
  
_At least someone is relaxed,_ she thought grumpily, gripping her staff tight with both hands. A feminine voice, belonging to the League's ever popular announcer, signaled the beginning of the match. Suppressing a grimace, Lulu trotted into lane and stared down her opponent, waiting for his first move. Quick to oblige, Tahm whipped his tongue forwards in a long line, attempting to strike her.   
  
With agility she didn't even know she possessed, Lulu danced out of the way, throwing out a Glitterlance to counterattack. It glanced off his thick hide, dealing miniscule damage to his already enormous contenance. Lulu's heart dropped as the rotund monster laughed.   
  
"I guess you really are for show after all, darling. Is that how you got into the League? By being Veigar's favorite pet?" Lulu blushed furiously, upset with Tahm Kench but too embarrassed to retort. *All part of the plan, Lulu!* her summoner thought to her.   
  
"How is this part of the plan!?" She shouted aloud. Veigar clenched his fists with rage, glowering at the screen intensely. "Come on, Lulu. Show the idiot that he got more than he bargained for," Veigar muttered. He'd seen Lulu's Glitterlance before. A long, glowing beam of concentrated fairy magic. Not a bad offense spell normally, but for some reason it seemed weaker to Veigar. Almost as if her magical prowess was... missing. He furrowed his brow with confusion.   
  
Lulu gasped for air, panting with exhaustion. So far her spells had done very little to Tahm Kench, and it was taking all her energy just to survive. _I could kill for some water right about now. What sort of sadist designed this game and didn't take the needs of us into account?_ Cracking his knuckles, Tahm Kench bore down on her, intentending on finishing her off and destroying her protective tower. If that happened, they'd almost surely lose the game!   
  
A blaze of fire erupted from the bushes to Lulu's right, smashing right into the River King and knocking him flat on his back. He roared with pain, clawing at his own face as he desperately tried to put out the flames hungrily devouring his flesh. Stepping out of the brush, Lulu was surprised to see a young girl approaching her.   
  
She'd heard of Annie, of course. A powerful child with magic so strong she could tame a Fel Bear, and a lineage wrapped in mystery like a blanket. Her fiery red hair struck a startling contrast with her emerald eyes. Annie giggled at the burning fish man and skipped over to him. She leaned down so she was face to face with him and loudly proclaimed, "Have you seen my bear Tibbers?"   
  
Tahm Kench's eyes widened, darting to the stuffed bear Annie held in her left hand. Lulu took a step backwards. Even she knew what came next. Annie let out a shrill laugh and threw her doll in the air. The toy was consumed in a gout of flame, and from it emerged an enormous, flaming bear. It's visage was terrifying, as all fel bears were, but it was unique in that it featured a cross stitch across its stomach, indicating Annie's ownership. Annie giggled and clapped her hands together, exclaiming, "Tibbers!"   
  
The bear let out a bloodcurdling roar, slashing it's blazing claws across Tahm's face. He howled in agony and slumped to the ground, his large body going still as his tongue rolled limply out of his gaping maw. Annie smiled and turned to Lulu. "Hi!"   
  
Lulu swallowed nervously and stuck out her hand. "Hello, I'm Lulu! You're Annie right?" The little girl nodded and took her hand, shaking it excitedly. "Did you see me burn that big toad man? He toasted really good!" Lulu chuckled, giving Annie a soft smile. She suppressed a sigh of relief. Annie was a nice girl, despite what everyone had said.   
  
"Yup! Thanks so much for the help. I'm really not suited for this kind of combat all by myself. My summoner keeps telling me not to worry, but I have my suspicions he doesn't know what he's doing." Annie laughed and nodded, swaying her skirt side to side.   
  
"Well I'm really enjoying myself down in bottom lane. None of those guys put up a fight! Easy pickings for Tibbers. Isn't that right, Tibbers?" The enormous bear nuzzled against Annie, who returned his affections with a fierce hug, clearly unperturbed by the fact he was on fire.   
  
Veigar watched as the two girls chatted amicably. He saw Lulu laugh and wave as the young fire witch skipped away back to her own lane. The danger had passed, but Veigar still felt angry. Why? Lulu's safe, and Tahm Kench is a literal kabob. Why do I still feel upset?   
  
"It's called jealousy, little yordle." Veigar spun, only to feel his heart stop as he laid eyes on someone he hadn't seen for over a century. The woman smiled, pulling a strap tight on her provocative outfit. Seeing LeBlanc smile for any reason other than a sadistic one made Veigar extremely uncomfortable. It made the magic marks on her cheeks dance, and the smile never reached her eyes. LeBlanc had terrified Veigar a long time ago. Now, her presence just unnerved him.   
  
"What do you want?" LeBlanc smiled at him with amusement, holding up her hands reassuringly.   
  
"Nothing, little one. I'm here for the same reason as you." Veigar frowned. "What do you want with her?" LeBlanc stared at him in confusion, then laughed. Veigar's eyes grew wide as he realized what he'd just insinuated. "I'm here for my next match, of course. I had assumed that was your reason for being here as well. Clearly I was mistaken." She flashed a knowing look at Veigar, who glared back in response.   
  
The rest of Lulu's match went surprisingly well in her favor. Annie was having an easy time down in bottom lane, blasting them apart with her fireballs. Lulu's summoner had purchased her a Nashor’s Tooth, which turned out to be frighteningly effective for her. Veigar watched, feigned interest be damned, as Lulu and her team pushed forward into the enemy base, securing a victory.   
  
LeBlanc eyed the small warlock, concerned. "Veigar." She said cautiously. "I know," he hissed back, turning to face her and narrowing his eyes. "This isn't what you think. I know better than to let myself be so easily swayed. She's nothing more than an amusement." It felt unpleasant to lie about Lulu like that, but he wouldn't allow himself to be seen as vulnerable by the other champions. Besides, it was partially true. Lulu was just a friend, and LeBlanc's worries were over nothing.   
  
He heard applause from outside. It sounded like Lulu and her team had just exited the Rift. Veigar nodded curtly to LeBlanc, who smiled knowingly and walked over to a few other Noxian champions gathered at the opposite end of the room. Sparing one last glance towards the woman known as The Deceiver, he snatched a spare summoner’s cloak from a rack by the door and strode outside.   
  
Lulu laughed loudly as she strode off the Fields with her new friend. “So you’re telling me that when Tibbers gets cold, instead of shivering he roars at nothing?” Annie smiled, holding her stuffed teddy bear tight against her chest. “More specifically, I think he’s trying to make the cold so scared that it will stop bothering him!”

Snickering, Lulu reflected on her good fortune. Since Veigar had invited her to join him in the League (she chose to imagine it that way), she’d made TWO friends. Not to mention one of those friends was deceptively handsome. She sighed, mourning Veigar’s insistence on wearing his concealing cloak and overly sized cap. Reaching up to touch her own large hat, she supposed she couldn’t fault Veigar too much. At least she let people see _her_ face, though!

“Have I ever mentioned how much that hat suits you?” Lulu spun, surprised by the sudden intrusion on her thoughts. A short figure guised in a summoner’s robe stood next to her, waiting expectantly.

“Erm.. hi?” Lulu stared in confusion at the unfamiliar summoner. The figure leaned in and pulled the hood back slightly, barely enough to reveal his glowing yellow eyes to Lulu. She gasped, quickly covering her mouth as her eyes darted to Annie, completely oblivious to her new friend’s sidebar.

“Once again you impress me. You really are one of a kind, my sorceress. I’m amazed it took this long for someone besides myself to notice your worth.” Veigar nodded towards Annie, who had started talking to her bear.

“You sure know how to pick em, Lu.” Glancing at the girl, Lulu flashed a gentle smile. “She’s sweet, and just like us. Abandoned at a really young age and left to fend for herself, it’s amazing she turned out so well. If you want to praise anyone, she definitely deserves it more than I do. I had Pix to look out for me.”

“Which would I want to protect me; a dinky little fairy, or an enormous fel bear?” Veigar asked mockingly, eyeing the lazy fairy as it glowered back at him. Lulu punched him lightly in the shoulder.

“I’d take Pix over Tibbers any day! At least Pix can talk.”

Veigar smirked. “Tell that to the girl currently having a full fledged conversation with her stuffed animal.”

Lulu gasped and shoved him slightly with playful indignation. “VEIGAR!”

Eyes widening, Veigar held a mouth to her lips. “Are you TRYING to get us caught?” Right on cue, Annie walked over, eyes glistening with concern.

“Are you okay, Lu?” Annie asked, glancing at the figure standing next to her. Veigar tightened his hand into a fist. Noticing, Lulu subtly grabbed Veigar’s free hand to steady his anger.

“Yea I’m fine Annie! This is the summoner I was working with during the match. It’s his unconventional build you have to thank for us winning. That and your stellar performance, of course.” Lulu flashed a weak smile, clearly unaccustomed to lying. Veigar thanked whatever god was listening that he’d decided to watch the whole match, otherwise he’d have no idea what to say next.

“Mmmm, yes, I am quite the clever summoner, after all. My brilliance knows no bounds.” he said in an overly prudish voice. Annie stared at him for a moment, then shrugged and turned back to Lulu.

“I have to go now! Tibbers gets really hungry if I don’t feed him after a match. Seeya later!” Lulu waved goodbye as the girl skipped off, humming to herself happily.

“You can stop crushing my hand now.” Lulu whispered. Startled, Veigar released the death grip he had on her, smiling apologetically.

“Sorry, I just… didn’t like someone else calling you Lu.” he muttered, looking a little embarrassed.

Lulu felt her cheeks warm as her eyes took on a shade of pink. She gave Veigar a squeeze to comfort him. “How was _your_ match?” He grimaced, reflecting on Teemo’s abnormally stellar performance.

“I’d rather not talk about it. Lets just say Teemo is the worst.”

“You should try being nicer to him!”

Veigar stared at her, aghast.

“Kidding, kidding! I’m not Teemo’s biggest fan either.”

Veigar breathed a sigh of relief. “For a second I was worried you’d gone crazy on me.” Lulu smiled, then leaned in and kissed his cheek.

“I already am.” Veigar groaned at his inability to stop the rush of blood to his cheeks. The things this girl did to him!

“Veigar, you look like you spilled a health potion on your face!” She teased, grinning from ear to ear. Oh, so she was mocking him, now? _Well two can play at that game!_ Veigar thought, a devilish idea popping into his head.

Veigar grabbed Lulu and pulled her close, pressing their bodies together. She was comfortingly warm in the otherwise brisk weather, tempting him to just hold her against him and never let go. Lulu’s face went beet red, her eyes glowing pink to match her cheeks. “Veigar! What are you doing?” she whispered forcefully.

“Making you feel the same way I do.” Closing his eyes, he leaned forward and took her lips in his, pressing them together. Despite this being his first kiss, Veigar could tell he was doing it right. Lulu absolutely _melted_ in his arms, moaning as he locked them together in an embrace. Veigar let slip a moan himself, enjoying it a lot more than he’d expected. How was she so good at this, after telling him she’d never so much as kissed her _parents?_ Wrapping his arm around her, he pulled her even closer, feeling her lithe frame press against his chest.

The two held each other for what seemed like hours. Breaking the kiss, he took a few steps back, gasping for air. Veigar had lost track of time while staring into her captivating pink eyes, so much so that he’d nearly forgotten to breath. Eyeing her over, he burst into laughter when he realized she was even pinker than before.

Lulu stared at Veigar in a daze, too distracted by the butterflies in her stomach to object to his laughter. Veigar leaned in and whispered “Now you know how I felt.”

“Lulu, are you okay?” The two quickly broke apart, putting space between each other. Ziggs stared at them, eyeing both of them suspiciously. Lulu dusted off her dress and Veigar coughed, turning his head to hide the blush under his cloak.

“Is this guy bothering you, Lulu? I can get rid of him for you.” Ziggs placed his hand on a pouch at his side threateningly, glaring openly at Veigar. _I am still disguised, right?_ Veigar looked himself over and sighed with relief. Now all he had to do was avoid getting blasted to pieces.

“I’m fine, Ziggs. This summoner here was just thanking me for my cooperation with his strategy in the last match.” Ziggs frowned, keeping his hand on his bomb pouch.

“Do summoners normally congratulate their champions with passionate kisses following a match? Because if so, I think I’m owed a few myself.” Lulu went white as a sheet, her staff clattering to the ground as her grip went lax. Veigar coughed and stepped forward, trying to appear dignified.

“What’s it to a little guy like you? Last I checked she wasn’t YOUR girlfriend. I’m just a big bad summoner taking what I want.” Ziggs stared at him, aghast.

“I can’t believe what I’m hearing! Lulu, step back. I’ll take care of this freak.” Ziggs ignited a bomb with the flick of his wrist, tossing it in the air menacingly. Lulu snapped out of her stupor and ran between them, holding her hands out to seperate them.

“Woah hold up Ziggs! I promise you he wasn’t kissing me. You just… caught me off guard was all. He was just telling me a secret tip for my next match.” Narrowing his eyes, Ziggs snorted with disbelief. “You’re a terrible liar, Lulu. Fine.” He snuffed the fuse on his hexplosive, stowing it back in the pouch.

“Don’t tell me. It’s not like I’d care either way.” He turned to stare down Veigar. “What’s your name? I’m reporting you to the Tribunal for this.” Veigar paused.

“Tee-tra Pop…lar. Yea, Teetra Poplar.” Probably one of his worst lies, but he was still swimming a bit after the kiss. Ziggs was clearly unamused, glowering at him as he stalked away.

“I’ll see you around, **Teetra.** ” Lulu watched him go before letting out a gasp. She looked at Veigar weakly.

“What is it with hanging out with you that makes me hold my breath so often?” Veigar blushed furiously, both at the accidental innuendo and the accusation. Deciding he was done being speechless, he took it in stride.

“What can I say, I’m positively soul-stealing.” Lulu laughed, quickly covering her mouth to avoid attracting any more attention. “I’m sorry for blowing our cover like that. Now people will suspect we’re friends.” Veigar waved his hand nonchalantly, grinning slightly under his guise and signaling for her to follow as he moved through the front gate of the Institute into the surrounding forest. He was sick of being interrupted, and he really needed to get moving before night fell.

Shedding his stolen cloak, he pulled his regular garb from the aether, adoring himself with his comfortable regalia and wide-brimmed hat. Lulu tried to catch another peek at his face, but was disappointed to see that he’d cast an illusion spell to shadow all but his mouth and eyes from view.

“If I'm lucky, I can string Ziggs along on this Teetra Poplar character for awhile. That should give us both ample opportunity to come up with a convenient story.” Giggling, Lulu’s eyes transitioned from her embarrassed pink shade to a beautiful deep violet. Veigar felt his heart skip a beat as he took her in once again. How did he get so lucky making friends with such an innocent and gentle yordle like her? Watching Veigar with interest, Lulu took her hat off, letting her hair flow freely. Her ears ruffled slightly, twitching in the cold air. She fidgeted in place, smiling at him.

“I figured while we were showing each other new things, I’d show you what I’m like underneath my cap. After all, I got to briefly see you when we first met!” Veigar opened his mouth to respond, only to stagger backwards as an incredible pain flashed through his head. Wincing, he massaged his forehead with a free hand, trying to soothe the pain. After a few moments of agony, the pain faded. Veigar heaved a sigh of relief, locking eyes with a very worried yordle girl.

“Are you okay? That seemed like a really nasty headache!”

“It’s nothing I haven’t dealt with before. Headaches are something you grow accustomed to after the past I lived through.” Lulu frowned, seemingly unconvinced. She touched his hat gently, staring into his eyes. “Do you trust me?” Veigar frowned, then nodded. It was the first time he’d trusted anyone in a really long time, but Lulu had proven to be a fast and reliable friend. Honestly, he was having a hard time imagining life WITHOUT her nowadays.

Lulu slowly pulled off the hat and held her staff to his face, whispering, “Dewhimsify.” The dark mask covering Veigar’s face fell, and Lulu’s heart leapt to her throat. She took a step back, not out of fear, but shock. A deep scar in the pattern of a cross ran deep in Veigar’s forehead, just barely missing his right eye.

“Veigar…” Veigar took Lulu’s hands in his, shaking his head sadly.

“For your sake, Lulu, don’t ask any further. This isn’t even the worst of it.” Lulu swallowed the bile in her mouth and nodded silently, returning to her task. A gentle pink glow emanated from her palms as she took her pointer finger and thumb, pressing them against Veigar’s forehead. Closing her eyes, she focused her magic into a pulse, trying to feel her way around Veigar’s head and discover the source of the pain.

Visualizing a person’s brain, especially one as complicated as Veigar’s, was difficult. It was akin to describing the air around you. There was never a word that felt truly accurate. One thing that leapt to Lulu’s mind when she navigated the faint magical fields interweaving Veigar’s very being was that it felt… taught. Like a string being drawn too tight. Delicately, she reached forward and focused her fairy energy into Veigar, attempting to give some slack to the pain he was clearly still experiencing. Veigar sighed blissfully as she worked, spurring her onwards.

Taking a step back, Lulu opened her eyes. Veigar was staring intensely at her, his nose twitching slightly, an signal Lulu had learned that meant he was in deep thought. _By the Glade! Why would such a handsome yordle like Veigar ever hide his face?_ Lulu felt herself slipping as she gazed longingly at Veigar’s attractive visage, trying to put a word to the feeling churning in her stomach.

Veigar smiled at her and leaned backwards. “You really are the greatest yordle I’ve ever met, Lu. I haven’t felt this good in… decades. Centuries, even.”

Lulu nodded. “I wasn't able to fix all of it. There’s something seriously wrong with your body, Vei. Some kind of… curse.” Veigar put a hand on her shoulder, smiling sadly.

“Lulu. You mean more to me than anyone ever has before. Your friendship is near and dear to my heart, and that is why I ask of you to please try and forget what you saw inside me. That is my burden to bear, not yours.” Veigar tried to make a tough face, to show that he meant it, but inside he knew he wasn’t being honest.

Lulu furrowed her brow, then snatched Veigar by the wrist and pulled him into an embrace. “I’m always going to be here for you, Vei. Just like you were for me.” Veigar shuddered, letting the tension dissipate for just a few moments. Pulling away, he locked eyes with Lulu.

“Lu, there’s something I want to tell you. But I can’t do it here. There’s a chance someone might be listening. Will you come by my mansion tomorrow? It’s near one of the entrances to Bandle City, just south of the Varju mountains.” Lulu’s eyes widened and she nodded.

“I actually planned on visiting my family’s grave near there anyways. W-would you be willing to keep me company during?”

Veigar smiled, taking her slender hand in his. “Absolutely.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And bam! Perfect setup for the next chapter, which will sorta be like Chapter 4 pt 2. I hope you all enjoyed! Now for the reviews :3
> 
> StrangeHuman on Fanfiction.net posted: I loved this story, you really have to continue it. VeigarxLulu is my favorite ship of lol.  
> Response: Hell yea I'm gonna continue! I personally experienced what it's like to get super invested in a VeigarLulu fic, only to be left unsatisfied. I'd NEVER do that to y'all. And HELL YES, VEILU for LIFE! It honestly shows a real depth that most ships lack, IMO. They both have so many similar experiences, yet are different enough to not tread on each other's toes. They're always there for one another, supporting each other! It's really a very sweet and perfect ship. Honestly, it's my favorite ship in ANY form of Media. Don't tell Nepeta :33
> 
> rosegoldmagnum on Ao3 posted: WOW I'M LOVING THIS SO FAR!! It's so well written, perfectly paced and so much in character! *o*  
> I can't wait for the next chapter! <3  
> Response: Hell yea girl! You KNOW it. Thanks for the lovely compliments, and I hope you continue to encourage and motivate me as I move forward :D
> 
> nono on Ao3 posted: such a delightful read, i can't wait for the next chapter myself +o+ <3  
> Response: Ask and ye shall receive! Thank you so much for reading my fic! I hope you're enjoying how I'm handling it. I'm involving quite a few characters, I just hope I don't mess em up and ruin the story X.X
> 
> Anyways that's it for reviews! Again, thank you so so much for reading, and I hope to see you in the next chapter <3


	6. Curses and Snowstorms

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A burden becomes easier when shared with a friend.
> 
> Veigar gets crushed.
> 
> Lulu has some nasty feedback.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone for reading so far! Man, I've gotten a LOT of phenomenal feedback on this fic, far more than I anticipated. Y'all have been a WONDERFUL audience, and I'm humbled with each notification I get.  
> We're getting into a bit of a somber part of the story, so fair warning there. Many of you probably already know Veigar's backstory, but for those that don't... just brace yourselves :O
> 
> Part of why I think Veigar and Lulu are so perfect for each other is the common plights they've shared. Isolation, being outcast, suffering due to the magic they wield, etc.  
> But what I find is MORE important is that they have similar yet VASTLY different pasts. Veigar suffered horrendously and rejected the world because of it. Lulu had a delightful past in the Glade, but found that the world rejected HER for it. This obviously lead to two very different people, but they compliment one another so well, I'm speechless there isn't MORE of a following for this. Maybe I'm just gushing, but I wanted to share that with y'all.
> 
> Anyways, the next chapter should be up soonish. I have a solid idea of what each chapter will focus on for the rest of this Act, so it's not like I'll have to sit around waiting for inspiration to strike me. Look forward to more fluff in the next few fics <3 ~Aurora

"W-w-hy d-do m-m-m-mountains have to be s-so COLD!" Lulu exclaimed, trudging her way through the knee high snow. Large pines loomed overhead, swaying slowly in the wind. Lulu suppressed a shiver as a blast of cold air swept down the hillside, nearly bowling her over. Stooping over, she breathed hot air on her hands to warm them, taking in her surroundings. Pix could have warmed her with magic if he were here, but Veigar had insisted on privacy. He wasn't happy about it, but Pix agreed to remain at home.  
  
Veigar had indicated on a map for her where his mansion was located. Unfortunately for her, it was surrounded with various runes and wards that prevented her from simply transporting into his bedroom. She grinned to herself, imagining how much of a scare she could get out of Veigar with a stunt like that. Glancing upwards, her eyes glittered with wonder as tiny flakes of ice drifted from the weeping clouds hanging above.   
  
A small crystal danced downwards, landing on the tip of Lulu's nose. She sniffled a little, staring cross eyed at the tiny work of art adorning her face. Lulu hadn't experienced snowfall since she was a small child. It never snowed in the Glade, and her new home was close enough to share in its effects without experiencing any of the time distortion found inside the Glade itself.   
  
Dusting the snow off the shoulders of her blue winter coat, she continued her trek up the mountainside. _I pray to whatever god is listening that I find his home soon. It is FAR too cold out._ Lulu thought, squeezing her arms tightly to stimulate blood flow.   
  
As if responding to her plea, her next footfall met with the solid spring of a cobblestone road. She smiled with relief, pulling herself out of the snow mound and fully onto the path. The stones snaked up the hill in a zigzag pattern, the end vanishing in a thick fog. Lulu smirked, recognizing the use of illusion magic. Skipping down the trail, she excitedly pushed through the shroud, only to be greeted with a snowball to the face.   
  
She spluttered with surprise, wiping her face clean with her cloak. As her vision cleared, she was just quick enough to see Veigar readying another throw, grinning from ear to ear. "You wouldn't dare, Vei!" Lulu shouted, still cleaning snow out of her hood.   
  
He chuckled. "Don’t act so surprised. I'm the master of Evil!" Veigar hurled the packed snow towards her without mercy. Lulu rolled out of the way, sliding to her feet with a snowball of her own in hand. Rearing back her arm, she lobbed it high in the air, missing Veigar by a mile. He smirked, watching her throw sail harmlessly above his head.   
  
"Your aim is off today, Lu!" Veigar said playfully, stooping to craft another icy projectile. She smirked in response, pulling out her staff. Waving it in the air, she shouted "Humongify!" Instantly the snowball grew ten times it's normal size, easily twice the size of the now wide eyed Veigar standing beneath it. The sudden change in mass heavily altered it's velocity, dropping it right on top of him.   
  
Lulu smiled triumphantly, trotting over to Veigar's buried form. His head popped out of the engorged snowball, gasping for air. "Should I get a carrot to use as a nose?" Lulu asked innocently, giving Veigar a wink. He snorted indignantly, giving Lulu a less than convincing glare.   
  
"Yea you got me. Now get me out of this snow already!" He snapped, smiling in spite of himself. Lulu obliged, summoning her shield around Veigar, pushing the snow off of his now shivering form. Extending a finger, Lulu booped his nose and giggled. "I like you better with your hat off!"   
  
He nodded. "It can get a bit stuffy having that thing on all day. It's nice being able to go without it. I'll confess, I was worried my scar might scare you off. It's not exactly attractive."   
  
Lulu took his arm gently, standing on her toes and pulling him close. She planted a kiss on his forehead, directly above the scar. Pulling back, she gave Veigar a soft smile. "Vei, there isn't a thing on this planet that could scare me away from you. I'll always be here, ready to greet whatever the world has in store for us!"   
  
Despite the cold, Veigar felt heat rising in his cheeks. Shaking his head to clear some of the snowfall in his hair, he gestured for her to follow him inside. _She might not be so sure after what I show her tonight,_ Veigar thought grimly, guiding Lulu past a few well hidden traps.   
  
Their approach to Veigar's mansion was made in silence, largely due to how awe stricken Lulu was by it's majesty. The manor was definitely nothing to sneeze at. Veigar had spent most of his life constructing it, a retreat during the more stressful years. The entire mountainside was covered in misleading wards and spells, designed to trick rather than kill. _If all those traps were lethal, I’d have an angry mob on my doorstep by the end of the week._ Veigar thought, pushing open the large oaken doors. The entrance swung wide, the hinges groaning in protest. Stepping into the impressive foyer, Veigar turned, arms outstretched.

“What do you think? Not too shabby, if I might be so bold.” He gestured to the columns, each uniquely carved to detail one of his many adventures. Spotting a particularly gruesome depiction, he darted over to it and stood between the stele and Lulu.

“Veigar… it’s amazing! Did you really make all of this on your own?” Lulu said, gazing with wide eyes as she made a slow circle in the center of the room. She wanted to take it all in, but there was too much to look at. Large half arches sloped into peaked roofs, giving the ceiling an extra height. A multitude of exotic paintings hung on the walls, depicting people Lulu didn't recognize. An ornate obsidian chandelier hung from the high roof overhead, suspended on a glittering crystal chain. The room felt so large Lulu swore she could hear the soft echo of her voice.

Veigar nodded, gesturing to the staff in his hand. “My magic did most of the work. I did a few carvings by hand, but quickly learned I didn’t have a knack for art. The only talent I really possess is magic.”

Lulu giggled. “And kissing!” Veigar blushed, the red highlighting his pale blue cheeks. Clearing his throat, he gestured towards the grand staircase, an enormous spiral that speared the ceiling above them.

Groaning, Lulu stepped up next to him, eyeing the steps mournfully. “First you make me hike up an entire mountain, and then you make me climb your big staircase?”

Veigar laughed and pulled her onto the first run. He reached out with the butt of his staff, tapping the aged wood. Lulu felt her stomach lurch as the entire staircase began to move, slowly rotating upwards. She giggled, mesmerized by the magical contraption.

“You think I planned my house out so poorly that my main study would only be accessible by climbing this monstrosity?” Veigar said, taking her hand in his as they took a few steps up the moving spiral.

Slowing to a halt, Lulu took in the enormous room nestled directly above the lobby. Bookcases lined the walls, housing hundreds of tomes in a variety of languages. Large bay windows gave a stunning view into the valley below the mansion, despite the snowfall. Piles of books laid strewn about the study, giving the room a lived in feel. Lulu inhaled deeply, enjoying the crisp smell of paper mixed with the sharpness of ink.

Another scent caught her attention. Powerful, yet muted. Almost as if… she sniffed again, following the scent, her eyes closed as she focused. The smell tickled her nose, entrancing her with it’s unique flavor. _Almost like lavender, but not quite as pungent,_ she thought. Inhaling deeply, she started. “It smells like purple!”

Veigar coughed and Lulu opened her eyes. She was nearly on top of him, her face buried in the crook of his neck. Stepping back in shock, her eyes quickly went pink. Veigar matched her step, catching her hand in his own as she backtracked. Leaning in, he softly gazed at her eyes.

“Have I ever told you that I absolutely adore the way your irises reflect your emotions? It nearly warms my dead heart each time I see it.” The pink spread to her cheeks. Lulu spluttered, unable to form a coherent response. Cackling, Veigar released his hold on her, taking a few steps into his study.

“Make yourself at home, Lu. There’s not a lot to do other than read around here, but I promise I can make up for the boredom.” Lulu’s head was still spinning as the butterflies in her stomach devoured her inside out, but she managed a weak nod. Veigar smirked, then strode over to his deck. Kneeling, he pulled out an ancient leather bound book, adorned with a strange symbol on the front. Dropping it on the table with a thud, he pulled it open, leafing through yellowed pages as he searched for something.

Coming to her senses, Lulu approached Veigar and peered over his shoulder, but she couldn’t make heads or tails of what was written on the pages. The text was nearly indecipherable, seeming to move as she stared at it. “What’s written on the pages, Vei?”

Veigar glanced back at her, then pointed at a large piece of shifting text. “This details instructions for a ritual to peel the flesh from a man’s bones.” Lulu went green a little, shoving Veigar lightly in protest. He chuckled, saying “You asked.”

He stopped on a page adorned with a single symbol, shaped sort of like an upside down Y with a circle through the bottom. Pulling off one of his gauntlets, he placed his bare hand on the page, closing his eyes. Lulu ogled his hand, surprised to see how well tended and smooth the skin was. Veigar started to hum, pulling Lulu’s attention back to him. Black energy seeped from his fingers, swirling around the symbol in the center of the page. A beam of black flashed out of the book, colliding with Veigar’s head. He stumbled backwards, barely catching himself on a stack of books piled behind him.

Lulu dashed over to him, kneeling beside his panting form. “Are you okay!? What was that?”

Groaning, Veigar rubbed his head, nursing the throbbing headache. “A spell I have to cast every day. It keeps me going through the pain, so I can do what I have to.” Using Lulu for balance, he pulled himself to his feet. Stumbling, he plopped down on a stack of blank paper.

Lulu frowned, reaching for his head to re-administer her magic. Veigar stopped her, giving Lulu a mournful stare. “Lulu, what I have is incurable. You can’t keep burning your magic like that every time I have a headache, you might damage yourself from overuse.”

Shaking her head, she pushed past his grip, placing both her palms on his temple. “This is the least I can do for you. You can’t ask me not to help after seeing something like that.” Closing her eyes, she channeled her Fae magic into her palms, kneading at that same black thread. Veigar sat still for a while, watching her intently. Lulu’s brow furrowed and she pushed on Veigar a little more forcefully, encountering a particularly ragged knot.

The magic sparked and Lulu gasped with pain. Veigar reacted quickly, grabbing her hands and severing the magical link. Swaying precariously, Lulu looked like she was about to faint. Veigar rushed to her aide, catching her mid fall. She looked up drowsily, locking eyes with him.

“There’s… so much pain. Oh _Veigar_.” Tears swelled in her eyes as she reached up, tracing his cheek with her fingers. Veigar smiled sadly, resting his palm on Lulu's head.

“Don’t worry, Lulu. I’ve been living with this pain for a long time. It’s nothing I can’t handle.” Lying to Lulu was exceptionally painful, but he didn’t have the heart to explain how much worse the pain had been lately.

“How… how did it happen? How did you end up like this? Who DID this to you?” Yellow flared in her eyes as she asked. _They look just like mine,_ Veigar thought with concern.

“This is the reason I brought you here today, my sorceress. Although I admit, I’d hoped to avoid this.” Veigar clenched his fists together, steeling himself.

“My story has a rather nasty beginning. How much do you know about me, really?” he asked, eyeing her nervously. Lulu pursed her lips, contemplating.

“Well, I know that you SAY you’re evil, even though you’ve been nothing but nice to me. You wield a lot of dark magic, and that always comes with a price. More than anything else, what has struck me about you is your sense of justice. I can see the burning desire you have for peace, although I’m not sure where that comes from.” Giving him a smile, Lulu snuggled against his chest. Veigar shifted uncomfortably, trying to ignore the feelings that came with having a beautiful yordle like Lulu in his lap.

“I’m not surprised you haven’t heard about my past. Most people in the League weren’t even alive that long ago.” Veigar took a deep breath, then plunged into the thick of it. “I’m quite old, Lulu. Akin to you, in a manner of speaking. My life was unnaturally extended through the power inside me.”

Frowning, Lulu pulled at his arm slightly. “Exactly… how long ago were you born? Do you remember the year?” she asked, an odd look in her eyes.

Veigar stared at her thoughtfully. “I haven’t thought about that in a long time, but if it's currently 3056… I’d place it right around 2550.”

Lulu’s pupils widened with shock, but she sat in silence, letting Veigar continue. “When I was a boy, I lived in Bandle City, just like every other Yordle. My memories of my childhood are hazy, so take my word for it when I say I had a standard childhood. When I was older, I ventured to the outside world in search of knowledge. I joined an arcaneum full of mages studying the stars, and grew wildly powerful alongside my fellow scholars.”

He grimaced, knuckles turning white as he clutched his staff. “Unfortunately, this drew the attention of Mordekaiser.” Lulu recognized the name. It belonged to a champion of the League, a brutish man that constantly wore an intimidating suit of full armor. She’d been lucky enough to avoid him in matches, but knew very little about him.

“You were probably either in the Glade or not born during his time, but suffice to say he was a bloodthirsty warlord bent on world conquest. He damn near succeeded, thanks to a group of warlocks that used a well of power to make him virtually immortal.

“Abusing his near godlike state, he slaughtered the mages at the Arcanium, viewing them as a threat to his regime. He crushed the skulls of each and every one with his bare hand, save for me. For whatever twisted reason, he took a special liking to me. Most likely due to my Yordle nature. I was probably just a novelty to him” Veigar’s features grew more taut with each word, the recollection clearly draining him. Lulu gripped his hand tightly, wordlessly trying to comfort Veigar as he continued his story.

“Mordekaiser imprisoned me in his Bastion. He tasked his servant of the time, the woman named LeBlanc, with my _care_ .” He spat the last word out like bile, his face twisting with rage. “I’m not sure what it accomplished, but at his behest, LeBlanc tortured me endlessly. She cast innumerable curses on me in attempts to break my will, and once I’d broken she just did it for _pleasure_. After an immeasurable amount of time, she and her master grew bored with me, locking me away deep inside the fortress.” Lulu covered her mouth, eyes shaking with pain. Her dark blue irises glistened as tears formed, rolling slowly down her cheeks. Veigar pushed onwards, knowing that he’d never finish the story if he stopped here.

“I don’t know how long I was down there. Weeks, months, maybe even years. Time lost meaning after a while. Whatever false hope I’d had of rescue had long since been lost to the pain. Ironically, it was after I’d given up that my prayers were answered. Mordekaiser was dethroned, his immortality stolen away. I’ve been told it was by LeBlanc herself, staging a quo to seize power for herself. With my captor dead and buried, I took my chance, gathering the pathetic amounts of energy I had left within myself. It was the first primordial burst I’d ever cast, and never had dark magic tasted sweeter.” Veigar started as he felt a chill on his cheeks. The act of remembering was so intense that he hadn’t noticed his own tears streaming down his face.

“By some twist of fate, it was early morning when I made my escape. I barely managed to survive the fall. I must have laid in a ditch for a week before I had the strength to find food. Ever since, I’ve been working to undo the curses placed upon me. LeBlanc has been a surprising help in that regard, freely offering solutions whenever I hit a roadblock.”

Lulu frowned. “She can’t just remove them?”

Veigar shook his head sadly. “If only it were so simple. The nasty thing about curses is that they’re fueled by the magic of the victim. The more powerful the target, the more powerful the curse. There’s a reason I have such an aptitude for black magic: they more or less infused my very essence with it to strengthen the curses.”

Lulu felt sick. _How horrific. I doubt ANYONE would have survived an ordeal. The sacrifices Veigar must have made to live through the experience…_ She refused to finish the thought, devoting her attention fully to Veigar as he finished his tale.

“My search of relics and desperate hoarding of magical knowledge has not been entirely for power. True, I’ve improved tenfold with my magic because of it, but the primary goal is to cure myself of the afflictions placed upon me. I’ve found success in most of my adventures, but not even LeBlanc can help me with the last curse. It’s the same one you’ve been trying to help me with.”

Nodding, Lulu caressed his face, wiping away his tears. “Do you know how to cure it?”

Veigar stiffened, then gave her a slight shake of his head. “There’s only one solution. I’d have to surrender all of my magic. Now that it’s the only curse remaining, it feeds off my magic like a parasite. With nothing to contest it’s hunger, the curse has grown far beyond my abilities to remove it.”

“And losing your magic would rob you of what is keeping you alive…” Lulu said with dawning horror. Veigar pulled Lulu into a fierce hug, trying to calm her whirling emotions.

“Lu, I promise I’ll find another way. Before I met you, I’d given up all hope. Now I have something, some **one** , worth fighting for.”

Lulu blushed in spite of her tears, hugging Veigar back, desperate to bring the scarred Yordle some measure of comfort. The two rested together in silence, laying on the floor together as they fought against their tumultuous feelings. Lulu was the first to break the quiet.

“I was there,” she said. Veigar glanced at her with confusion.

“I was there four hundred years ago.” She continued, eyes unblinking. “I was a child when you must have been captured. Right before Pix brought me to the Glade, I remember everyone in the Village acting… strange. Like something really bad had happened, but they didn’t want to talk about it.” With each word, Veigar’s eyes grew wider and wider. “Back then, I’d always assumed it had to do with the harvest. That’s all my mom ever spoke about. Now I know better.”

Lulu clenched her fists tightly, drawing blood with her nails. “If only I hadn’t been a stupid kid back then. I could have DONE something, instead of abandoning everyone I’d ever known. I don’t regret my time in The Glade, but I can’t help thinking what good I could have done if I’d stayed…”

Veigar leaned forward, silencing her regretful thinking with a well placed kiss on her teary face. Lulu shivered as his warm lips brushed against her cheeks, making her face burn with embarrassment. He smiled at her, cupping her chin with his exposed hand.

“If you hadn’t entered the Glade, I would still be alone. Never doubt the choices you’ve made. Each of them lead you here, shaping you into the wonderful, stunning Yordle I see before me. If there’s one thing I learned by all the suffering I’ve been through, it’s that you need to cherish the good memories you have.”

Lulu nodded, burying her face in his neck to hide the rising heat in her cheeks. Veigar chuckled softly, holding her closely. _I’d forgotten what joy felt like,_ he thought, smiling to himself. He stared out the window of his study, the snowfall nearly obscuring the setting sun. With a start, he shook Lulu slightly. “Lu! Your family. You said you wanted to visit their grave today, right?” She nodded, rubbing her eyes and yawning slightly.

“Thanks for reminding me. I was nearly ready to fall asleep in your arms. For someone who acts so prickly, you’re very good at snuggling.” This time Veigar was the one to blush, turning away self-consciously.

Gathering her things, Lulu walked back over to the stairs, waiting for Veigar. He laughed, taking her hand in his and pulling her off the steps. She stared at him, confused. “Why are we not taking the stairs? We’re going to lose the light soon.”

Veigar nodded. “Exactly. I told you that your teleportation spells wouldn’t work on the mountainside, but that was only partially true.”

Lulu huffed with indignation. “You’re telling me I walked all the way here in the freezing cold for _nothing?_ ”

Laughing, Veigar shook his head. “Now that would have been truly evil of me. The truth is, I brought you here for another reason.” He stooped down, snatching a book from a nearby pile. Tracing his finger along the spine, he pulled the book open to a strange page. The paper was blank in the middle, the margins outlined in a trim of black runes. Veigar held the book towards her.

“Once you place your palm on this page, you’ll be able to teleport to and from my mansion at will.” Lulu’s eyes lit up and she eagerly placed her hand on the sheet. She felt a tingle as dark magic swirled within her. Veigar smiled and set the book down, putting his hands on his hips.

“Now you can visit whenever you want, but I request that you let me know ahead of time before popping in. Sometimes my mansion isn’t the safest place to be in, especially when I’m working with new relics I discover during my travels.” Lulu nodded, too excited by the potential shenanigans she now had available to care. Veigar sighed, gently grabbing her hand with his own.

“You should be able to teleport us right to your family’s grave.” Closing her eyes, Lulu focused her magic into her staff. The two yordles became enveloped in a luminous pink light, then winked out of the manner, hand in hand.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bamn. I hope that wasn't TOO sad for y'all. I definitely leaned into that a bit heavy towards the end. It always hurts to make my lovelies cry, but you can't have true joy without a lil sadness! Anyways on to comments <3
> 
> Guest on Fanfiction.net posted: I am ducking squealing in my head right now.
> 
> Response: GAAAAH. I know right??? These two cuties are too much! I'm sorry for making them cry this episode tho. Plz don't hate me
> 
> Mangomangocat on Fanfiction.net posted: Dammit why isn't my follow showing up, anyways I fucking love your story, I am fucking having a full on awwwwwwwww at this. I love this. I absolutely adore this story.
> 
> Response: That is SO SWEET <3\. I really appreciate the support. And not to worry! I got your follow notification just fine :3 
> 
> That does it for reviews again! I love y'all, and I look forward to the feedback for the next chapter <3


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